She's Practically You, Jethro
by iwannagibbs
Summary: A JIBBS AU story. Jethro meets a beautiful redhead and finds she is very much like him. Too much alike? Read and find out. Warning: this is a VERY long chapter. Sorry about that. Rating is for last chapter.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own and did not create these characters. Too bad.

Author's Note: I went back and forth with whether to make this a JIBBS AU story or introduce a new woman. I finally decided on JIBBS because that seems to be more popular with readers. My hesitation comes from the fact that there are so many very good JIBBS AU stories out there right now. Anyway, I hope you like this one.

**She's Practically You, Jethro**

Sitting in traffic was one of Jethro Gibbs' least favorite things in the world. It ranked right up there with doing paperwork and being in the hospital. At the present time he and Dr. Mallard, aka, Ducky, were stuck in some kind of tie up on their way back to work after lunch. What the problem was he couldn't tell but he was about twenty seconds from turning on the very rarely used lights and siren in his government sedan and breaking out of the gridlock. Then he glanced across the street and all of a sudden he didn't mind sitting where he was for a little while longer. Coming down the street opposite where they sat was a very long legged, slim, redhead. She was jogging up to the intersection where they were stranded. Her hair was held in a pony tail that bounced back and forth as she ran. Her stride was easy; in fact she seemed to glide along the sidewalk. 'Smooth, very smooth,' Gibbs thought to himself as he watched her approach the crosswalk.

"Thank you for lunch Jethro, it seems a long time since we shared a meal just the two of us."

"You're welcome Duck."

Gibbs had stopped drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and he hadn't uttered a demand for the traffic to move in at least fifteen seconds. Ducky wondered what had calmed him down until he followed his line of sight and spotted the redhead across the street. She was jogging in place waiting for the light to change signaling she could cross. Ducky smiled and glanced over at Gibbs.

"Makes sitting in traffic worthwhile, wouldn't you say, Jethro?"

"What? Oh, yeah, not bad, that's for sure." Gibbs chuckled and returned Ducky's knowing smile. His weakness for redheads and long legs was well documented especially between Ducky and himself.

As they completed their exchange the light changed and the woman started across the street. At the same time, the driver in the left turn lane next to Gibbs started turning and inexplicably did not stop for the woman in the crosswalk. Gibbs felt like he was watching a slow motion film clip. "Oh crap" was all he could get out before the car ran smack into the woman knocking her into the car stopped at the light. By the time she bounced off the stopped car and fell to the street, Gibbs had activated his lights and siren. The cars around him moved aside and he managed to get across the intersection before the driver of the car could get out of his vehicle. Ducky ran to assist the woman and another bystander called 911.

In full fury Gibbs approached the driver who had hit the woman. He jerked the door open and hauled the shaken young man out by his shirt. He had him turned around, up against the car, and handcuffed before the boy even knew what was happening.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you blind?"

The young man was terrified. He wasn't sure what frightened him more, hitting the woman or being yelled at by the man who was in his face. By the time Gibbs stopped yelling the boy was crying. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't see her."

"Don't you move." Gibbs shoved the boy, still handcuffed back into his car. He saw a police officer approaching and went to tell him what happened. He identified himself and the officer thanked him for his assistance. Then Gibbs turned his attention to Ducky and the woman who was still lying in the street.

"Jethro, you terrorized that young man. What did he have to say for himself?"

"He said he guessed he didn't see her. Damn, Duck, how could he NOT see her she's beautiful. I mean, hell she was in the crosswalk for god's sake."

The woman at the center of all this attention was just coming around to what was happening when she heard someone say, "…she's beautiful." When she heard that she opened her eyes and found herself looking into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. They were undoubtedly gorgeous but they must not work very well she thought. She certainly didn't feel beautiful at the moment. Her hip hurt like fire and her head was about to explode. She felt like she had road rash from one end to the other. On top of that she knew she was all sweaty, her hair a mess and she had on not one smidgen of make up. Beautiful? She didn't think so.

Nevertheless she tried to smile at the blue eyes and said, "Thank you but I think you may need to have your eyes checked."

When she tried to sit up a gentleman with a lovely, soft Scottish accent cautioned her. "Perhaps you should wait for the paramedics my dear. We wouldn't want you to injure yourself further. I'm Dr. Mallard by the way. And you're right, he does need glasses but in this instance I'd say his vision is just fine."

"Thank you, Doctor. Really, I think I can sit up. Nothing feels broken and I'd like to get out of the street if that's possible." She looked up to see a kindly looking older man gazing down at her. She wiggled her feet and hands in an effort to convince him she was alright.

Then she heard another, gruffer voice that she recognized as coming from the man with the bad eyesight. "You should wait for the paramedics to move you."

"I don't think so. I will not lie here like an invalid and hold up this traffic one more minute. I've been knocked down before and I know when I'm injured." She fixed Gibbs with a fierce expression that had him smirking in return. "Will you please help me up? I promise not to sue you."

When Gibbs didn't move, Ducky stepped in and helped her stand up and move to the sidewalk.

"Thank you, Dr. Mallard." She put out her hand and continued, "Jennifer Shepard. I appreciate your assistance."

"My pleasure dear. And please call me Ducky. My friend there is Jethro Gibbs. We saw what happened and I'm glad you aren't seriously injured."

Gibbs had stepped over to talk to the policeman who was now approaching Ms. Shepard to take her statement. She told the officer what happened and asked that the young man not be prosecuted.

"It was just an accident. I should have been more careful myself. I don't want him to be charged if that's possible."

The officer gave her the driver's information including his insurance company and his parents' information as he was only seventeen. He told her he was going to cite the young man but no other charges would be filed. He took all her information then returned to his car to get traffic moving. Gibbs moved his car to a parking area and returned to Ducky and Ms. Shepard as the paramedics were checking her over. He heard them telling her she needed to get checked out at the hospital but she was saying she didn't need that.

"Excuse me. You were just hit by a car, bounced off another car and landed on the street. Being seen at the hospital for an x-ray and to get that cut looked at is the smart thing to do."

Ducky and Ms. Shepard exchanged looks and then she looked at Gibbs. Actually she gave him what could have easily passed for one of his patented Gibbs Glares. "Thank you for your explanation of what just happened. And here I thought I just tripped. Are you a doctor or do you just like giving orders?"

Ducky couldn't help but laugh out loud which earned him one of those famous glares from Gibbs. The paramedics just stood there looking back and forth between Gibbs and the woman. One of them finally said, "Look ma'am we can't force you to go but I would suggest you go at least let them check your hip and clean up your cuts and scrapes. But it's up to you. If you don't go I need you to sign this form."

Sensing that she was reluctant to go in the ambulance, Ducky decided maybe a compromise was in order. "Would you perhaps feel better about going, just to be certain, if Jethro and I took you? That way you avoid the ambulance but still get the assurance nothing is broken or even cracked. We would be happy to help, wouldn't we Jethro."

"Sure, Duck. Why don't I get the car. Okay with you, Ms. Shepard?" He looked at her and she saw his smile was genuine and his eyes suddenly seemed very kind.

"Yes, that would be fine with me. And it's Jenny. Thank you."

The ride to the hospital was quiet. Gibbs' driving which would normally be described as scary and fast was almost sedate. He stopped at every yellow light and signaled at every turn. Ducky found he was not constantly grabbing for a hand hold and unconsciously putting his foot on a non existent brake pedal. Ms. Shepard or Jenny, as she insisted they call her, sat quietly in the back seat with her head back and her eyes closed. To Gibbs' practiced eye she was obviously in some pain but not about to admit it or let it show too much. When they arrived at the emergency entrance, Ducky escorted Jenny inside while Gibbs parked the car. On his way to meet them, Gibbs' phone rang.

"Hey Boss, gotta call from Metro about a body in Rock Creek Park. Is Ducky with you, 'cos I can't find him."

"Yeah he's with me but he's gonna be tied up for a while. Tell Palmer to take the truck and I'll see how Ducky wants to handle it. You're gonna have to have McGee pick me up at GW hospital. I'll be at the emergency entrance. You and Ziva go on to the crime scene and McGee and I will meet you there."

"You okay Boss, whatcha doing at the hospital?"

"I'm fine. It's a long story. Just send McGee and you get going."

Gibbs found Ducky waiting while Jenny was filling out paperwork in one of the curtain areas of the ER. He wondered where her ID and insurance card had been because he was pretty sure she couldn't have had it in those running pants she was wearing. He watched her concentrating on the forms and decided she really was just as beautiful as he first thought. He wondered how he was going to get to know her better.

"Ah, Jethro there you are. We're just waiting for an x-ray tech."

"Listen Duck, I've gotta go. Metro has a body for us. Can Palmer handle it without you?"

"Of course. Tell him I'll be back in time to start the autopsy. Will you be needing the car though?"

"No, McGee is picking me up in a few minutes. You keep the car and take Ms. Shepard home."

Jethro looked over Ducky's shoulder to find Jenny watching them. For the first time he could see what really gorgeous green eyes she had. He thought he could get lost in them if he wasn't very careful. He stepped around Ducky and stood in front of her just out of her personal space but close enough to notice the nice cheekbones, one of which had a nasty scrape on it and the very long eyelashes framing those green eyes he'd already decided he liked so much.

He put forth his right hand and said, "I'm sorry I haven't properly introduced myself. Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. Most people just call me Gibbs. Some call me worse but we don't need to get into that. I'm sorry you were run over today but since you were, I'm glad Ducky and I were there. I hope you're really alright." Taking one of his cards from his pocket he handed it to her and continued. "I have to go to work but Ducky is going to stay here and then take you home. If you need anything later or have any problems with the driver or the insurance or whatever, just call me and I'll be glad to help you. It was very nice meeting you Jenny."

She had been holding onto his hand during his entire speech and he was feeling very comfortable with that. Her hand was soft and warm and she had a good firm grip. His mind wandered to how it would feel to hold hands with her just for fun or on a long walk. When she didn't seem in a hurry to let go, Gibbs put his left hand on top of hers and said, "I've got to go. I hope we meet again." He gently pulled his hand back and turned to walk away.

Jenny jerked herself back to the moment with a start. "Agent Gibbs, thank you for your help. I have a feeling we will meet again." She mentally chastised herself for being so mesmerized by this man but there was just something about him that she found compelling. Obviously his eyes were captivating and holding his hand had sent a small shiver up her spine but he had a certain energy about him that seemed to draw her in. She cautioned herself to be careful and to remember the "Bob rule".

When Gibbs had left Jenny turned her attention back to Ducky. "Are you sure you don't need to go too. I can certainly take a cab home."

"Oh no my dear. My assistant can handle the job at hand. I don't think Jethro would appreciate finding out I let you take a cab home. Believe me, it will be better for both of us if I see you safely home myself."

She hadn't looked closely at the card Jethro gave her so she didn't know what kind of agent he was. "What sort of work do you two do? I mean besides rescuing women who have been run down in the street?

Ducky laughed with her. "Jethro is a Senior Field Agent with NCIS and I am the medical examiner."

Jenny nodded her understanding as she looked at Jethro's card. Just then the x-ray technician came in and took Jenny down the hall for her x-rays. She was back shortly and they waited in companionable silence for the radiologist and the doctor to reappear. Ducky thought back to Jethro's little speech to Jennifer before he left and he smiled to himself. Jethro was normally a man of very few words but he seemed to find plenty to say to their new friend. Letting his mind wander a bit, Ducky thought these two might just hit it off if they could get together under some more pleasant circumstances. Jenny certainly seemed a match for Jethro and Ducky knew his old friend well enough to recognize the signs of him being smitten. 'About time' Ducky thought. It had been almost two years since Kate Todd, one of Jethro's agents had been killed. Even though Jethro and Kate had never publicly been in a relationship Ducky had been well aware of their affection for each other. Her death in the line of duty had been a bitter experience for Jethro. Maybe their being stuck in traffic today was fate.

Before too long the doctor came in and told Jenny she had no broken bones. He wrapped her sprained wrist and an intern cleaned her abrasions. She was given a prescription for some pain medication in case her hip became too painful. Finally, Ducky was able to retrieve the car and they were soon on their way to her home. Jenny gave directions and in just twenty minutes they were in front of a lovely townhouse in Georgetown. Ducky helped her out of the car and waited until she was safely inside.

"Thank you so much Ducky. I can't believe my luck at having you and Jethro right there when I was hit. You must let me repay you with lunch sometime."

"That would be lovely, you just take you time and let that hip get better. Remember to alternate some heat and some ice for the rest of the day and I'm sure you'll be good as new in no time. You take care now. I must get to the office and see how my assistant is doing. It was a pleasure meeting you Jennifer."

"You too Ducky. Goodbye."

When Ducky got back to the Navy Yard the investigation was in full swing and didn't let up for the next two days. On Thursday afternoon, two days after the discovery of the body there were still no leads and Gibbs was very frustrated. He was expressing that frustration to his agents in a variety of very familiar ways. DiNozzo was dodging another head slap, Ziva was on the receiving end of a Gibbs Glare and McGee was cowering behind his computer monitor. The fact that the dead Marine had a little girl who was now without her daddy was driving them all crazy, especially Gibbs.

"What the hell is the problem with you three? Why don't we know what this guy was doing in the park, or where his cell phone is, or why his car is missing?" His agents knew Gibbs wasn't really angry at them, well not only at them. He was also angry with himself because he couldn't seem to get a feeling for this case. They were stumped and that just didn't happen very often. They just let him continue to yell; it was really the only thing they could do anyway. Finally his phone rang and they were granted a temporary reprieve.

"Yeah Gibbs." Growling in his usual manner, Gibbs snatched up the desk phone and answered in the same tone he had been using with his agents.

"Ummm Agent Gibbs? Is this a bad time?"

"Depends, who is this?"

"Jenny Shepard. I'm sorry if I caught you at a busy time." She could tell by his voice that she had indeed called at an inopportune moment.

As his agents watched in amazement, Gibbs' whole demeanor changed in the few seconds it took the caller to identify herself. Tony and Ziva exchanged a look and even McGee noticed his Boss seemed to mellow out right before their eyes.

"No, not a bad time at all. In fact you probably just saved the lives of three federal agents. Can you hold on a minute?" Gibbs held the receiver to his side to cover the mouthpiece and waved his free hand at his three astounded agents shooing them away. "You three go find me some evidence in this case. Don't come back here until you have a lead."

A chorus of "yes Boss" echoed across the bullpen as the three gathered their packs and headed for the elevator.

Gibbs took a deep breath and sat down. "I'm back. Sorry for the wait. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine thank you. I do have a spectacular bruise but I think I'll be back to running by tomorrow or the next day for sure. I was calling to see if you might be free for lunch tomorrow. I know it's short notice but I'd really like to thank you and Ducky for your help."

Gibbs had to shake his head to rid himself of the mental picture he had of her hip and its spectacular bruise. He briefly wondered if there was even a minute chance he might see this particular injury. "You certainly don't have to do that but I would be glad to come for lunch tomorrow. The only thing is, I'm in the middle of a case so I can't guarantee I can be there."

"I know Ducky explained that to me. He said he will come but if you can't for some reason I'll be happy to give you a rain check if that's alright."

"Of course, that would be fine." Reluctant to end the conversation Gibbs tried to think of something else to say. "Have you heard from the driver who hit you, or his parents?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact his father called me yesterday. He has offered to pay my medical bill whatever it is. He was very apologetic and seemed very concerned. I believe the son is now grounded from driving until his is thirty-five." Jenny laughed when she said that and Gibbs felt a prickly sensation on his skin. He knew he wanted to hear that laugh again; preferably soon and preferably as the result of something he did or said.

"Well that's good, about the money I mean. Grounding seems a little mild to me though."

"I suspect you would have just shot him right?"

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess. I'm sorry but I have to go. I hope I see you tomorrow, Jethro."

"Me too. Goodbye Jen."

Jethro hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. It had been a long time since he had been interested in getting to know a woman. The past year and a half he had channeled all his energy into his job. He spent long days and lots of nights at work so he wouldn't have time to think about Kate being gone. She was the only woman after Shannon that he knew he had truly loved. He had married of course, three times, but Kate was the only one he loved. The fact that their time together had been so damned short still pained him but of course what really haunted him was her death. Even now, after all this time and countless bottles of bourbon, and hundreds of talks with Ducky, he still missed her every day. He didn't let anyone else see it but it was there. The memories of their brief time together, her scent, the feel of her lips on his skin, it all came back to him sometimes and he had to push it back, lock it away with all the other painful memories of the people he had loved but couldn't save.

Given all that sadness and pain it was a surprise to Gibbs that he was feeling so attracted to Jen. He had decided for himself that Jennifer was too formal and Jenny just didn't seem to suit her so he already thought of her as Jen. She was certainly beautiful and seemed to have a good spirit and sense of humor which was essential to being friends with him. He liked her independence and her fearlessness toward him. Of course her being a redhead didn't hurt either. As he thought about his desire to know her better, Gibbs had to admit to himself that he had been feeling at least marginally better in the last month. He had spent a long weekend with his father several weeks ago and came home feeling better about them than he had in years. He and his dad had been estranged since shortly after Shannon's death but now they were mending their relationship and Gibbs found that he was able to talk to his dad about Kate and what her death had meant to him. The other thing that seemed to be making a difference was that he had been sailing his boat a lot in the past few weeks. He had named the boat Kelly and because he had promised Kate he would take her sailing he had kept the boat and was actually sailing regularly again. Being out on the water, away from everything and everybody, Jethro was slowly learning to stop beating himself up about how Kate died, and he had begun to think about the future. Now he was just barely allowing himself to wonder if Jen would be part of that future.

Gibbs reminded himself that he knew next to nothing about Jen and he certainly shouldn't get ahead of himself. He didn't even know if she was married or not. She wasn't wearing a ring the other day but maybe she didn't when she was working out. But, he reasoned, she had invited them to lunch; that was a good sign, wasn't it? He wondered what sort of work she did, after all she was out running in the middle of the afternoon. Whatever it was, he was pretty sure she was good at it. 'Boy you've got it bad' he sighed just before giving himself a head slap.

He was about to go down and see Ducky when his favorite trio arrived back in the office.

"Tell me you have something on this case," he demanded.

"We've got something, Boss. The wife found an email message from a high school classmate of our Marine. Apparently this guy Cpl. Owens knew in school was trying to get him to give him some money. The wife remembered the guy as being a loser in school and our Corporal wouldn't loan him the money." Tony stopped to take a breath and Ziva picked up the story.

"So, the wife gave us the classmate's name and McGee found him in a cheap motel outside Baltimore. The clerk there verified that Corporal Owens' car is in their parking lot."

Gibbs just stood in front of his agents and smiled. They made him very proud even if he only rarely let them know that. "Alright. Let's go get the guy and see what else he has of the Corporal's besides his car. Good work guys. See, my yelling at you really does work." Gibbs took his gun and badge out of the drawer in his desk and they all piled into the elevator.

Tony was itching to ask about the phone call but decided not to push his luck. Maybe it was better to just enjoy the moment and bask in the 'good job' as long as possible. Whoever she was and he was sure it was a she by the look on the Boss' face, Tony hoped she would be around for a while. As far as he was concerned, anyone who could melt Gibbs like she did was a person they wanted in their lives.

The former classmate was indeed the person who killed Corporal Owens. Not surprisingly to Gibbs, the jerk shot at them, tried to flee, and then paid the price. It didn't help the widow or the little girl but at least now they wouldn't have to worry about ever seeing him or going through the agony of a trial. The paperwork and report writing went on well into the night and it was almost midnight when Gibbs sent the team home. He stayed another hour or so before he gave up and went home. Even though it made him feel a little like a stalker and it was out of his way, Gibbs drove by Jen's house on his way home. Ducky had given him the address and he found himself wondering if she was still up or not. There were no lights on in the house for which Gibbs was grateful because it forced him to go home without having to talk himself out of stopping to see her.

Friday morning was quiet and the team concentrated on keeping it that way. No one wanted to catch a case on a Friday and risk having to work over the weekend. Gibbs certainly did not want anything to come up in the next few hours that would require his attention. He had lunch plans after all and it would take a major incident to get him to change those plans. At 11:30 the major incident appeared on the catwalk outside the director's office in the person of Director Leon Vance. Gibbs glanced up just in time to see the Director signal him to join him in MTAC. As he left his desk, Gibbs looked at the clock on the wall and cringed. If this took more than twenty minutes he was going to miss lunch.

An hour later, in the darkness of MTAC, Gibbs snuck a look at his watch. "Are we keeping you from something Agent Gibbs."

"No, Mr. Secretary, nothing at all."

"Good. Do you have anything to add to the assessment from the team in Bahrain?"

"I would concur with the agent on the ground there, Mr. Secretary. However, I would also suggest we need some better intel from the Israelis."

"I agree. Thank you for your time and your input gentlemen."

Gibbs left MTAC and went back to his desk. His good mood was long gone and Ziva made note of his sullen expression and the way he slammed his chair back before sitting down.

"Ducky asked me to tell you he waited but thought he should go ahead to the appointment without you." When there was no reply from Gibbs, Ziva returned to her paperwork.

"I'm going for coffee." Gibbs stalked out of the bullpen and into the elevator. He couldn't remember the last time he was as disappointed about missing something as he was about lunch today. Then he remembered that Jen had said he could have a rain check. That thought brightened his mood considerably. Maybe having lunch or dinner with her and without Ducky would be even better. Gibbs returned to the office in a much better mood.

He took the elevator directly to autopsy in order to check and see if Ducky was back yet. When he found his friend had not returned he decided to wait. Fifteen minutes later Ducky returned and found Gibbs stretched out on an autopsy table.

"I take it you are not awaiting my services, Jethro."

"No, thankfully not yet. How was lunch?"

"Very subtle, my friend. Lunch was quite nice. Cold roast beef, potato salad, asparagus and chocolate pie for dessert. All very delicious I assure you. Of course the company was enjoyable as well. Jennifer said to tell you she was sorry you couldn't be there but she understood and asked me to remind you that you can have a rain check."

"Sounds a lot better than being stuck in MTAC with the Director and the SecNav. What did you learn about Jen?"

"Jethro, this wasn't a reconnaissance mission! I was there as a guest, not an investigator, for heaven's sake."

"I know that. I just meant you know, is she married, what's she do, that kind of stuff. Come on Duck give me something."

"Alright, she is not married. She is divorced and has a ten year old son. She has only been in DC for about two weeks. The rest you will have to find out for yourself." Ducky fixed Jethro with a serious look. "Unless I miss my mark, and I don't think I have, Jennifer is a very special person, Jethro. I suggest you tread lightly and carefully. I wouldn't want to see her get hurt; or you for that matter. She asked me to give you her number. She would like you to call when you can meet her for lunch, to collect your rain check." Ducky took a card from his breast pocket and handed it to Gibbs. "Don't keep her waiting, Jethro. I sense the two of you might be good for each other."

"Thanks Duck. I'll call her today, I promise. And don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior."

By 4:30 that afternoon the team had all their reports completed and Gibbs sent them home for the weekend. He took the reports to the Director's office and then left himself. He considered dropping by Jen's house but decided to do the more polite thing and call first. Besides he figured he needed a beer before talking to her. Sitting on the deck at home nursing his second beer he finally picked up the phone and punched in the number Ducky had given him. As the phone began ringing, Gibbs found himself as nervous as a teenager calling his first girlfriend.

"Hello."

"Jen, it's Gibbs."

"Oh hi, I'm sorry you had to miss lunch today." She had never liked being called Jen but somehow when Gibbs said it, it sounded very nice.

"Believe me, I am too. Ducky said it was delicious. I'm sorry I didn't call you to say I couldn't come. It was a last minute thing that came up."

"That's okay. Ducky explained you had been called into a meeting. I guess that's what you get for being important."

"Yeah, well, being important didn't have anything to do with it, that's for sure. Anyway, I was wondering if you were free tomorrow and I could make it up to you."

"Sure but I think I'm the one who owes you a lunch."

"Ducky said you haven't been in town long so I was thinking I could give you the tour and then buy you lunch."

"That sounds like fun. What time?"

"Would 9:00 be too early?"

"No, that would be perfect. I'll see you in the morning then."

"Okay, good. I'll see you. Bye."

As was his custom, Gibbs didn't wait to hear her say goodbye. She stood holding the dead phone and laughed. That would take some getting used to she thought. Jenny thought back to what Ducky had told her about Jethro. No much she realized. Only that he was the best agent NCIS had and that they had been friends for a long time. He did say there had been a lot of sadness in Jethro's life and Jenny could certainly identify with that. She was aware of the murder of an NCIS agent by a terrorist almost two years ago. She wondered if that was part of Jethro's sadness.

At 9:00 sharp the next morning Jethro knocked on Jen's door and waited expectantly. She answered in just a few moments and invited him in.

"I'm sorry I'm on the phone. Make yourself comfortable and I'll be right back." She disappeared in the direction of the back of the house and Jethro wandered into the living area. The space was open and comfortably furnished. It wasn't exactly what he would have pictured for her but it was nice. In just a few minutes he heard her saying goodbye to her caller and she reappeared. Jethro quickly took stock; she was dressed in casual slacks and a cotton sweater. Her hair was loose, framing her face and falling in soft waves to her shoulders. All in all he thought she looked great.

"Now, good morning, Jethro. I'm sorry to keep you waiting. That was my son and I had to hear all about his latest fishing trip." Jen noted Jethro was wearing jeans and a blue polo shirt that really brought out his eyes. Probably not the reason he chose it she speculated. She also noticed he looked really very sexy in worn, faded blue jeans.

"Good morning to you. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, just let me grab my bag."

When they were settled in the car Jen looked over at Jethro and said, "You know, I have been here many times so I don't really have to have a tour. Unless you just want to do that I mean."

Jethro laughed and shook his head. "Good because actually I'm a terrible tour guide. How about we limit ourselves to two monuments? What is your favorite?"

Without hesitation she responded, "The Jefferson, no question."

"Alright then, first stop the Jefferson Memorial."

"What about you, do you have a favorite?"

"I like to go to Arlington early in the morning and walk around, watch the changing of Guard. But not today. I think my second favorite is the Korean War Memorial."

The drive to the area of the monuments didn't take long and Gibbs actually managed to find a parking place just where he wanted to be. As they walked up to the Memorial he asked Jen what she liked about it.

"I just really like the statue itself. It's so massive but somehow it doesn't seem intimidating. I think a lot of people view Jefferson as a larger than life figure so maybe that's why the statue seems fitting. And I like the simplicity of the whole Memorial. The focus on his words of course and the view is also very nice."

Jethro couldn't argue with that last statement. Of course he wasn't looking at the statue of Thomas Jefferson or the surrounding area. He was looking only at Jen. When she talked she gestured with her hands and her eyes sparkled. She was graceful in her movements and the sound of her voice was slowing but surely pulling him in deeper and deeper.

Jenny waved her hand in front of his eyes and asked, "Hey, are you in there?"

"Yeah, I was admiring the view. Like you said, it's very nice." Jethro had his famous half-smile, half-smirk in place and Jen had to laugh at him.

"You were no more looking at the view than I am right now. But thank you anyway."

They stayed at the Jefferson Memorial for a little while longer before Jethro asked her, "You feel like walking for a while?"

"Sure."

Jethro took her by the elbow and guided her down the steps and they set off for the Mall. They walked around the tidal basin and crossed the street toward the Mall and the other monuments. As they came to the Korean War Memorial they stopped near the entrance at the back and waited for a group of tourists to go ahead of them.

Jethro stood very close to her and said in a quiet voice, "Right after this was finished I came over here late one night after it had snowed a couple of inches. No one had been here and the snow was perfect; it was just a dusting on the statues and blanketing the ground. I stood right where we are now for about thirty minutes. It was absolutely still. It seemed like I could almost hear them whispering to each other and see them moving through the snow. It was beautiful and kinda spooky at the same time."

Jen slipped her hand into his and leaned against his shoulder. "I can see it when you talk about it like that. I'll have to try and come back in the winter when it snows." They stood there holding hands and not speaking for a long time. After a while, Jethro turned and they walked back the way they had come still holding hands. When they reached the car, Jethro asked her, "You like boats?"

"I love the water and anything you can do on or in the water so yes, I'd say I like boats."

"Good. I have something I want you to see." Jethro started the car and drove toward the marina where the Kelly was docked. On the way he asked Jen, "What do you do? What sort of work, I mean."

"I'm a security consultant for a private firm that contracts with the military. I have been working the past few years through a contract with SouthComm in Tampa."

"What sort of security, computers and that kind of stuff?"

"No personal security. My department handles security and protection for both military and civilian personnel and their dependents living in Central and South America. Mostly Panama, Colombia, and some other parts of South America lately. Ever been south?"

"Yeah, Panama and later Colombia although if you repeat that I'll have to kill you."

She laughed with him. "Your secret is safe with me." Wanting to change the subject she asked, "Where are we going by the way?"

"I want to show you my boat in hopes of persuading you to go sailing with me sometime."

"I'll tell you right now, it won't take much to persuade me. As I said I love to be on, in or under water."

When they arrived at the marina Jethro parked and they walked down the dock to where the Kelly was tied up. Jethro explained that he had build the boat in his basement over the past couple of years. He didn't say who Kelly was and Jen didn't ask. Jethro gave her a tour of the boat and she was quite impressed with his work.

"She's beautiful, but I have to ask, how in the world did you get this boat out of a basement?"

"Sorry, that's top secret. How about some lunch? The grill here has pretty good food and we could sit outside."

"That sounds perfect. Just a warning though, I have a feeling we'll come back to the topic of the basement another time."

"Fine by me." Jethro took her by the hand as they walked toward the grill at the end of the marina. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to be walking in the sunshine, holding hands with Jen. He realized he felt more relaxed and happy than he had in a really long time.

Jenny too, was feeling very comfortable with Jethro. She very much liked having her hand enveloped in his as they walked along talking about nothing in particular. She could almost feel the tension and anxiety of the past few months draining out of her as they walked amongst the sailboats and yachts. Strangely, being run over by a teenager was turning out to be the best thing that had happened to her this year.

While they were eating lunch Jethro finally asked why she was living in DC. Jen explained, "My brother works for the World Health Organization and he recently accepted a post in Kenya. He will be there for a year and wanted someone to stay in his house. I was about to take a leave of absence from my job and we decided I could house sit for him."

"Ducky said you have a son. Does he live with you?"

"Yes, Nicholas lives with me. He is staying with his grandparents in Tampa for a couple of weeks while I get things settled here. He is on a baseball team and wanted to finish their season so I let him stay. I will be going back there in a week or so to finalize some things at work, then he will come home with me. Do you have children?"

"No. I had a daughter but she and her mother were killed while I was deployed in Desert Storm." Jethro was almost stunned that he had told her that because he never talked about Shannon and Kelly to anyone; especially someone he had just met. Jen never missed a beat though and Jethro relaxed when it didn't become an issue.

"I'm sorry to hear that. How old was she?"

"Kelly was eight." When he didn't say more and his gaze drifted from their lunch to the horizon Jen knew it was time to change the subject.

"Ducky tells me you have the best team at NCIS. Can you tell me about them without giving away any top secret info?"

Grateful for the change in topic Jethro laughed and said, "They are the best; sort of dysfunctional but in a good way." He described each member of his team and by the time he finished Jenny was laughing.

"They sound like a good group. I'm not surprised you're so successful. You obviously care about them very much and I'm guessing they would do just about anything for you."

"Yeah, they're a good team. We've had a couple of rough patches but they stick together and take care of each other. They make me look good."

Lunch was finished and they sat in comfortable silence watching boats coming and going in the marina. Jethro reached for her hand resting on the table and idly rubbed his thumb back and forth across her knuckles. Neither spoke for several minutes both at ease with the lack of conversation. Jen studied him as he looked out over the water. She thought she sensed him drifting away just a little bit and she wondered where he was going. What she was seeing was Jethro trying to figure out how she had gotten past his defenses so easily. As he sat there holding her hand and watching boats come and go he decided he didn't really care HOW she'd done it or even that she had done it all. He just knew he liked how he was feeling right now and he wanted it to continue.

Jethro turned his attention back to the woman at the table with him and realized she was studying him. "I'm sorry, I guess I got a little lost there for a while. Didn't mean to ignore you."

"You're fine. I am enjoying just sitting here watching the boats…and you. I'm fine with no talking most of the time."

"That's good to know. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure. Why don't we go back to the house. There is a wonderful deck in the backyard and we could have another beer, unless you have someplace else you need to be."

"I have no place to be and a beer on your deck sounds perfect. You wouldn't happen to have any of that chocolate pie left would you?"

"As a matter of fact I do."

Three hours, two beers and a big piece of chocolate pie later, Jethro stood in the doorway of Jen's townhouse kissing her goodbye. It was a kiss somewhere between friendly and passionate. He would have liked for it to be much more toward the passionate end of the scale but he also wanted to take this slowly and get it right. Jen was responding to the kiss in a way that hinted at her desire for more but not too soon either. Jethro slowly pulled his mouth away from hers and ran his thumb gently over her lips.

In a voice that betrayed his feelings as much as his kiss had he said, "I had a really good time today. Thanks for the beer and the pie." He never took his eyes off of hers and he couldn't bring himself to let go of her hands.

Jen gifted him with another quick kiss before she said, "I had a wonderful time, Jethro. You are very welcome for the pie and the beer and I hope you'll come again."

"Would tomorrow be too soon? I mean, would you like to go sailing tomorrow?"

"I'd love that. I'll bring food if that's alright."

"That's perfect. I'll pick you up at 8:00 okay?"

"I'll be ready. Goodnight, Jethro and thank you for a very enjoyable day. I can't remember when I've had such a good time."

"Me either. Goodnight." He couldn't resist just one more quick kiss before he forced himself to get in the car. All the way home he concentrated on remembering how Jen's lips had felt pressed against his and how it felt to touch her face and inhale her scent. Just holding her hand and kissing her was so great he couldn't begin to imagine how it would feel to do all those other things he was thinking about. He also wondered how she had gotten him to do most of the talking today and yet had revealed very little about herself. That was definitely a first. Maybe he'd work on changing that tomorrow.

Jen slowly closed the door as Jethro drove away. She made her way into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. That was definitely the best day she'd had in a very long time. Smiling she remembered the thrill she got when Jethro kissed her and ran his hands up her arms. His touch had seemed to set her skin on fire and the feel of him close to her body had threatened to completely overrule her plan to go slowly and not get involved. She wondered how that plan was going to survive her being alone on a sailboat with him. 'Probably won't survive much past the marina entry' she thought laughing out loud in the empty house.

Sunday dawned clear and bright; a perfect day for sailing. Jethro arrived at Jen's house a few minutes before 8:00. To say he was anxious for the day to get started would have been a gross understatement. He had been up since 5:00 and had actually been driving around her neighborhood for at least thirty minutes. It was a wonder someone didn't call the police on him. He knocked on the door and tried to act like this was just another date with a pretty woman. He failed miserably.

Jen had been trying to get ready since 7:00. She had already completely read the paper and gotten dressed and redressed three times. After the third outfit she chastised herself out loud for being childish and ridiculous. She reminded herself she was not going to get "involved" with Special Agent Gibbs; she was just going sailing with him and that was going to be that. After today she knew she was going to have to slow down if not completely stop seeing him at least until her life was in better order. It pained her to think about that but she had already decided that Jethro was too decent a man for her to allow him to become involved in the mess that was her life. Determined to have a good day and worry about tomorrow much later, Jen went downstairs to answer the door.

She had a cooler full of snacks, lunch and drinks which Jethro carried from the kitchen to the car. Jen picked up her bag and a sun hat and followed him, locking the door behind her. In no time they were on their way to the marina. Jethro stole a glance at her and thought she was even prettier today than when he left her last night. She had her hair pulled back in a low pony tail which let him see just enough of her neck to give him some interesting ideas. He was wondering what that spot just below her ear would taste like when she looked over and saw him looking at her.

"What is going on in that mind of yours Agent Gibbs?"

"Just wondering if you remembered sunblock," he lied easily but unconvincingly.

"I certainly did but thank you for being concerned," her smile was easily worth the embarrassment of being caught looking at her.

By the time they got to the boat the tension between them was almost too much to bear. They were both glad to be out of the confines of the car and in some open space where they could both breathe easier. Jethro helped her onto the boat and stowed the cooler. When they were ready to go Jen cast off the lines and Jethro prepared to ease them away from the dock. As they waited for another boat to clear the area Jen took a seat in the stern and reached into her bag for her sunblock. Jethro turned around and taking the bottle out of her hand he pulled her up so she was standing almost against him. Then he leaned down and kissed her a lingering, hot kiss that had her going weak in the knees.

He very slowly pulled back from her and tenderly ran a finger over her lips. "I just thought maybe we should get that out of the way before one of us, probably me, exploded." He handed her back her lotion and went back to the business of getting them underway.

Jen just stood perfectly still for a long moment. She hadn't been kissed like that in so long she couldn't remember when it might have been. The man literally took her breath away. She began to wonder if it was a good idea to be spending the whole day with him, both of them just half dressed, on a small boat in the middle of who knows where. Probably not she decided but she was certainly not going to either jump overboard or ask to go back so she figured she'd just have to "endure" it.

It was a perfect day to be on the water and it was obvious from the moment they left the marina that Jethro was in his element on this boat. He told Jen it took him just over two years to build her but he still just smiled and shook his head when she pressed him on how he got her out of his basement. Their conversation was light and easy and sometimes there was no conversation at all. Jethro gave her a quick lesson on sailing but she was perfectly content to watch him manage everything. When it was time for lunch, they anchored in a sheltered cove and Jethro asked her if she wanted to take a swim before they ate. After cooling off and paddling around for a while they climbed back aboard and Jenny spread the lunch out on a small table Jethro set up in the stern.

Jethro had a dozen questions he wanted to ask but he didn't want Jen to feel like he was interrogating her. "Tell me about Nicholas. You said he plays baseball."

"Yes, he loves baseball, all sports really but baseball is his favorite. Maybe because we've lived in Florida for the past few years and he can play all year around. He likes first base the best but he'll play anywhere if it gets him on the field. Of course he loves to bat too. He's actually pretty good if I do say so myself. I'm hoping to see him play a couple of times when I go back in a week or so."

"How does he feel about moving up here? Quite a change from Tampa."

"He's excited actually. He'll be closer to his dad which will be nice. Stephen, his father, lives in Boston so it will be much better and easier on them once Nicholas is here."

"You and his father get along okay I guess."

"Yes, we get along very well. Much better than most divorced people. He is a good person and a wonderful father. He has always been available to Nicholas and has been very good about seeing him and making sure he knows who Nicholas is; he's not just a weekend father."

"You're lucky, you and Nicholas both."

Since they were talking about ex's and that sort of personal stuff Jen decided to take a chance and asked, "Did you remarry after you wife was killed?"

Jethro chuckled, "Oh yeah. Three times. Not very good at marriage I guess."

"Well, maybe you just chose poorly. Do you get along with any of your ex's?

"Oh hell no. It's pretty hard to get along with someone who comes after you with a baseball bat or a seven iron."

"Wow, so what you're saying is that you bring out the violent side of your women."

"I guess so. I sure didn't mean to. Who wants to get hit in the head with a golf club after all?"

"You're serious aren't you? Well, I'm not a golfer but I am a pretty good shot, just so you know." Jen smiled that brilliant smile and her eyes were dancing when she looked at him.

"I'll certainly keep that in mind. If you feel yourself reaching for your weapon just please give me some warning and I'll be happy to disappear before you're compelled to fire."

"That's a deal. No children with them?"

"No, I think that's a good thing considering. I didn't choose well you're right and I spent too much time working and being absent in other ways. Anyway, that was a long time ago. My third ex-wife actually married my best friend a few years later and now they're divorced. I tried to warn him but he wouldn't listen. At least he got a cute little girl out of the marriage. All I got was twelve stitches in my head and a nice scar." He pointed to a very faint scar in his hairline above his left eye.

"Oh, Jethro, you really do lead an interesting life." She leaned across the table and ran her finger gently over the scar. "I promise never to come after you with a blunt instrument."

As she was taking her hand back from his head Jethro caught her wrist and kissed her palm. "Thank you very much. I'll ask you to put that in writing when we get back to your house if you don't mind."

"I'll be happy to do that."

Lunch was finished and Jen put away the plates and food while Jethro pulled in the anchor. They sailed away the afternoon enjoying being together and talking about general stuff but nothing too personal. Jen asked about his work and Jethro told her about some of their more interesting cases. He talked about Abby and her expertise in the lab and McGee and his books. For her part Jen expertly deflected any questions about her work or why she was on leave. Jethro knew she was keeping something important to herself but he of all people understood what that was like and he didn't push.

Since the topic of Nicholas and his father had seemed safe he returned there, "What does Stephen do in Boston, if you don't mind me asking."

"No I don't mind. He's an architect; designs commercial buildings mostly but he does homes on the side sometimes. He's very successful and has always been generous in terms of providing for Nicholas."

"He sounds like a good guy. What happened to you two? No, wait, don't answer that. I'm beginning to feel like maybe I'm asking too many questions. It's a hazard of the job."

"It's fine. I don't mind telling you. You're not interrogating me; we're getting to know one another. How else will you know if you don't ask. Don't worry, I'll get around to asking you about your life."

"Okay. I can live with that."

"Stephen was my second husband. My first husband, David, was a Navy Seal. We were married young and were as much in love as any two people I ever knew. We'd been married about two years when he left on a mission one day and just never came back. The Navy said the mission was classified of course so I don't even know what happened to him. For a long time I resented the Navy, the secrecy and the whole mess but eventually I remembered how much David loved what he was doing and I decided to get on with my life. I moved to Boston and met Stephen after I'd been there about a year. We got married and everything was great for almost three years but then we just sort of drifted apart. We were actually separating when I discovered, much to our surprise, that I was pregnant. So, we decided to try and make it work thinking a child would keep us together. It didn't take us long to realized that was much too big a job for a tiny baby and we divorced when Nicholas was nine months old. We parted on good terms and as I've said Stephen is a good friend to me and a very good father."

"I'm sorry about David. Would you like me to find out what happened to him? I imagine I can if you'd like to know."

Jen was touched by the concern she heard in Jethro's voice. "I don't know. It was such a long time ago and I've made peace with it. I appreciate the offer. Let me think about it."

"Okay, enough talking. Time for your next sailing lesson. Come sit here next to me and take over. You need to be able to do this in case I fall overboard and you have to come around and pick me up."

"Are you planning to fall overboard?"

"No, but who plans such a thing? It's just in case, you know like knowing how to land a plane in case the pilot dies or something."

"What a pleasant thought. If I didn't know better I'd say you just want me to sit closer."

"You are a very smart woman, Jennifer Shepard."

Jen sat down next to Jethro and he scooted back and pulled her around in front of him reaching around her and putting her hands on the wheel. Now he could taste that particular spot under her ear that had caught his attention earlier in the day. He nuzzled her neck and mumbled to her to just keep her hands on the wheel and don't over steer. Jen leaned back enjoying the contact and the kisses Jethro was leaving from her earlobe down her throat to her clavicle. It didn't take long for Jethro to decide they could do without anyone steering for a while. He turned her around and quickly captured her mouth in a kiss that spoke of need and lust and a whole day of wanting to kiss her. He let his hands get tangled in her hair and when her hands skated down his back he deepened the kiss.

The need for oxygen finally drew them apart but not very far. Jen couldn't get enough of touching him and her hands were everywhere at once. She leaned into him and kissed him, running her tongue over his lips asking for more. Jethro gladly obliged and their mouths melded together as their hands explored every spot of bare skin they could find. Jethro explored and tasted every inch of her mouth and she returned the favor. Again, only the need to breathe made them back off.

Jethro knew exactly where he wanted this to go but for some reason he couldn't quite understand he also knew they weren't going there; not today anyway. Jen confirmed that sad realization for him when she placed both her hands on his chest and leaned back, putting some distance between them. She reached up and caressed his face. She was smiling at him but there was a sadness in her eyes he hadn't seen before. When she sighed and kissed him on the forehead he thought maybe his heart was going to be broken in the next few minutes. It wasn't broken but just bruised a little bit.

"I think maybe we better slow down here Jethro. If we keep doing that I'm afraid we will get ahead of ourselves." She saw the pained look on his face and was worried that he thought he had done something wrong. "It's not you. God, it's not you at all. It's just that I have this rule, I call it the "Bob rule", which says 'never get involved with anyone you meet on vacation'. I know I'm not technically on vacation but the premise still holds."

Jethro let his hands wander up and down her arms. "Who is this Bob person? I think I'll kill him." He laughed and the tension was broken.

"He's a guy I met on vacation a very long time ago. We got involved and it ended badly. So…ever since then I've had the rule. It has served me very well for years."

"Well, I'm a big believer in rules. In fact I have quite a few myself. So, how long do you think you're going to consider yourself to be on vacation?"

"I don't know but you will be the first person I tell when it's over."

"Deal. Now back to your sailing lesson."

The rest of the afternoon passed with a lot of laughing and talking and an occasional kiss that didn't cause either of them to lose control. When they got back to the marina it was almost dark. They secured the boat and made their way to the car. On the way home Jen fell fast asleep and didn't wake up until Jethro parked in her driveway. He carried the ice chest into the house and helped her put away the food then he drained the water off and put the cooler outside.

Coming back in the house Jethro found Jen leaning on the kitchen counter yawning hugely. He stepped up and put his hands on the counter on either side of her trapping her with his warm body. He kissed her sweetly and then wrapped her in a tight hug. In a low, husky voice he whispered in her ear, "I had a great time today. I hope you'll come sailing again. Can I call you?"

"I had a wonderful time today too. I would like to go sailing again sometime. And yes, you can call me."

Jethro kissed her again, stopping just short of where he wanted to go mainly because he was interrupted by the beeping of his phone. He stepped back and answered. After listening for a few moments he told the caller he would be there in twenty minutes. "I've gotta go to work. You should go get some sleep before you fall down. I'll see you later."

Jen walked with him to the door. "Thank you Jethro. I'll see you."

Leaving her the second time was no easier than it had been the night before. If anything it was more difficult. Jethro knew as well as he knew his own name that Jen was keeping a secret; something about her job most likely. She was obviously trying very hard to hide or just plain forget about it, whatever IT was. He knew she wouldn't be able to forget it and as for hiding it, he hoped she wouldn't feel the need to do that much longer. He knew these things because he'd done them. He'd tried to block out and forget the pain of losing his family and then his failed marriages and finally Kate. After all these years he was finally letting his dad back into his life and that was helping. And of course he had always had the support of Ducky and now he thought, maybe if he could somehow help Jen….

He decided on that drive home whatever she asked of him he would do it. If she wanted him to be there he would go; if she wanted him to stay away he would although he recognized that would be very difficult. If she needed time; he had plenty of that. Jethro was all too familiar with how it felt to have other people telling him what to feel and what to do and how to manage the pain that only he knew about. He vowed he wouldn't do that to Jen. He would help her however she wanted him to but he promised himself he would not try to "fix" it for her. If Jethro had known how hard it was going to be to keep that promise in the coming months he might not have made it, even to himself.

The case they caught that night looked straightforward enough at the beginning but by the time Monday morning rolled around they were knee deep in suspects with not much in the way of real evidence. On Monday night when they had already worked twenty-four hours straight, he sent his team home but he didn't take his own advice. He took a shower and had a quick nap in the locker room before he went back to his desk to try and figure out what the hell was missing in the case. At 5:00 DiNozzo came back to work and by 6:30 McGee and Ziva were back too. Abby and Ducky were working overtime as well in hopes of getting some useful clues from their two dead bodies. Finally, Tuesday afternoon Abby announced she had something and the entire team trooped to the lab to hear the expected good news. Abby didn't disappoint them. Three hours later Ziva and McGee deposited their suspect in the interrogation room and thirty minutes later Gibbs had the confession they needed. As the killer was taken away by the MP's, Gibbs told his team to go home and not worry about their paperwork until the next day. He didn't have to say it twice. In fact the words were barely out of his mouth by the time the trio with Abby in tow were in the elevator headed to their cars.

Knowing Jethro would still be at his desk, Ducky stopped in the bullpen on his way out of the almost deserted building. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Gibbs about his weekend with Jen and he was anxious to hear how they had gotten along. He pulled up a chair and Gibbs poured them each a shot of bourbon from his flask.

"Now tell me Jethro how did you and Jennifer get along on Saturday?"

"We had a very good time on Saturday and then again on Sunday. We just took in a couple of monuments on Saturday and then had lunch at the marina. I wanted to show her the Kelly. On Sunday we went sailing all day."

"Sounds like you two are hitting it off. Have you spoken to her this week?"

"Not since this damn case got started. I was going to call her tonight. There's something she's hiding Duck, something about her work I think. Maybe hiding is too strong a word. But she's got something she doesn't want to talk about, I'm sure of that."

"My friend you know what that's like. I hope you don't plan to try and get it out of her before she's ready."

"No, I don't. She talked a lot about her son, Nicholas and her ex-husband and even her first husband who was a Seal and was killed on some classified mission. But she very carefully avoided any talk about her work or why she's on what she called a leave of absence."

"Perhaps her work is classified and she just isn't allowed to discuss it. What does she do anyway?"

"She works for a contractor that provides personal security to government personnel and their dependents in Central and South America. You're right it could be classified but I have a feeling it's something more personal."

"Well whatever it is, give her time and if she comes to trust you she may decide to confide in you. You know from your own experience there are some things that can't be changed, only accepted, and time is what makes that possible."

"You're right Duck. I've already decided to let her call the shots on this; whatever she wants me to do or not do is okay. I really like her so I'm going to just try and follow her lead. Not my normal plan of action but maybe it's time for a new strategy."

"I agree my friend. Now I must be going and so should you. If you're going to call Jennifer you should do it before it gets too much later. Good night Jethro."

"Night Duck."

When Jen didn't hear from Jethro on Monday she assumed the case was keeping him busy. When Tuesday was almost gone she began to think it was either a really tough case or Jethro had decided not to call. She was tempted to call him but stopped herself with a reminder that she was the one who needed to slow down and not get involved. As hard as that was going to be she knew it was the right thing to do. Jen felt like her life, except for Nicholas, was such a mess that she didn't want to get anyone else entangled in it. There were certain aspects of her professional life that Jen needed to set straight before she would be comfortable getting into a relationship; some things that needed to be dealt with before she could move on with her life. She was stuck in a bad place emotionally. Somehow she thought Jethro would understand that if she could figure out how to explain it to him. At any rate, she was determined to tell him she couldn't see him again until she had some issues resolved. Now all she needed was for him to call her.

As he drove away from the Navy Yard Jethro pulled out his cell phone and called Jen. "Hi, I hope I'm not calling too late. We just finished up the case and I wanted to say hello."

"Hello back. Is this the case from Sunday night?"

"Yeah, it took a little longer than I thought it would. Could I come see you?" He hadn't intended to ask that when he called but after hearing her voice he suddenly wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her.

"Uhh, no, not tonight, I'm sorry but now's just not a good time."

He tried to hide his disappointment when he asked, "how about dinner tomorrow night?"

"Maybe lunch would be better if you can swing that. I could meet you someplace."

Jethro quickly thought back to what he had told Ducky just a little while ago about letting her be in charge of their situation. "Lunch would be fine. Can I call you about 11:00 tomorrow just to be sure?"

"That will be fine. Thanks for calling, goodnight Jethro."

"Night Jen. See you tomorrow."

Gibbs didn't know if he felt better or worse for having called. Something was off. He hoped maybe she was just having a bad day and he had called too late or something. He was already dreading lunch as much as he was looking forward to it. He told himself maybe he wasn't ready for the emotional roller coaster that so often defined a relationship with a beautiful, desirable woman. Then he gave himself a mental head slap and reminded himself that he loved roller coasters.

Lunchtime rolled around before he knew it and he found himself sitting in a quiet café looking across the table at a lovely and very nervous Jen. When he arrived she was already seated and he leaned down and kissed her lightly before sitting down across from her. She was wearing her hair down and his fingers were almost itching to get in there and tangle it all up. The blouse she was wearing was cut low enough that he could see she had gotten plenty of sun on Sunday. He had a quick fantasy of kissing her there to see if it was still warm to the touch. Instead he settled for reaching for her hand and rubbing his thumb back and forth on her palm.

"How is your week going so far?" There were so many other things he wanted to ask but he had the distinct impression she was going to keep him at arm's length.

"Just fine. Nicholas is having a good time with his grandparents but he told me last night he misses me and is ready to come up here."

"That must have made you feel good. When is he coming?"

"Next week. I'm anxious to have him here. I miss him a lot."

"Yes I bet you do. I hope I will get to meet him one of these days."

"I imagine you will Jethro. In fact I want you to meet him and vice versa. I just don't know when that will be."

She was pulling back, not physically but emotionally. She knew she was doing it and so did Jethro. Luckily for both of them the waiter arrived with their lunch and they were occupied with eating for the next several minutes. When the plates had been cleared and Jethro had ordered coffee they found themselves at a loss for words for the first time. He was determined not to push her and Jen was struggling with what she felt she needed to say to him.

Finally he couldn't stand it anymore. "Jen if something is wrong please tell me. If I can help I will."

She slid her hands across the table and grasped both of his. She looked up and recognized the concern and compassion she saw in his eyes. "It's nothing you've done Jethro, I assure you of that. It's just…I really like you…

When she hesitated Jethro said, "But? I sense a but in there."

Jen laughed a small laugh, "Your senses are very good. I really like you Jethro but now is just not the time for me to begin a relationship with someone. If you were just a casual acquaintance maybe I could do it but I don't want us to be just a sometime, casual thing. I am not in a place mentally, professionally or personally where I can give you what you deserve from a partner. I don't know when or even if I will be in such a place but until I am I won't involve you in my life past where we are right now. I care for you too much to risk that."

Jethro could feel her hands on his and he heard all the words she said but he still felt like he was having some kind of out-of-body experience. It sounded to him as if Jen had been inside his head and taken out the thoughts he'd had so many times in the past few years. He had said practically the same thing to Kate when they first began to realize their mutual attraction and he had tried to back away from the relationship. He knew what his first instinct had been when Kate had tried to persuade him to change his mind and he was pretty sure Jen would have a very similar response if he tried to change her mind right now. Instead he took a very deep breath and tried to get his thoughts in order before he spoke.

"I can remember being in a similar situation once or twice and I understand what you are saying. I care for you Jen and I want very much to spend time with you and get to know you better. If you need some time and space I will give you all the time and space you need. I'm not in any hurry. Ducky keeps telling me I need to develop more patience so maybe this will help me. I say again, if there is anything at all I can do to help you I want to do it. I won't push you or question you but I do want you to do something for me."

"What is that?"

"Two things really, I want you to find someone, a friend, priest, shrink or whatever to talk to about whatever it is that is holding you hostage. Second I want you to let me at least call you two or three times a week just to say hi and see how you are doing. I won't pressure you; I just want to be able to hear your voice and have you tell me you're okay. Can you promise me those two things?"

"Yes, I can do that. I already have someone to talk to Jethro but thank you for saying that. Thank you too for making this easier for me. You are truly a most special person and I value your friendship very much even though we have only known each other for a few days. I can't ask you to wait for me though because heaven only knows when I'll be back together."

"Hey, it's not like I'm going anywhere. When you're ready there are a lot of things you need to know about me that may even change your outlook toward me. You are a strong woman, Jen and I have a feeling you will be back in the game sooner than you think. When you're ready I'll be a phone call away."

And so it began. The phone calls and the days and weeks of wanting and waiting and hoping. Jethro called two or three times a week and he was true to his word; he never pressured her for information or asked to see her. He always asked how she was doing and if she needed anything. Sometimes he asked about Nicholas and sometimes Jen asked about his work or how he was doing. She didn't ask to see him. She always said she was fine or okay or alright. Sometimes she sounded that way and sometimes she didn't. It took everything he had for Jethro to stay away but he did. He confided to Ducky and tried to stay busy but it was hard at night when he wanted so much to just be with Jen but couldn't.

From Jen's point of view she looked forward to the calls but dreaded them at the same time. A call meant someone was thinking of her; caring about her but it also meant she was cutting herself off from a man she wanted and who she was coming to believe would actually be good for her. She admired his persistence and his willingness to honor her wishes. The demons she was dealing with were beginning to demand her attention and she knew in the next few months things would be changing. For the better she hoped.

After two months the phone calls went from two or three times a week to once or twice a week. Jethro and his team were getting slammed with cases every week and they were also becoming involved in a joint operation with the FBI involving the search for a terrorist cell in the area. During this time Jen was gone a lot and often Jethro had to leave messages on her voice mail. She had told him she would be going back and forth to Tampa pretty often so he surmised that was where she was. He wondered about Nicholas since school had started but he guessed maybe his dad was taking care of him.

One night near the end of the third month after their lunch, Jethro called hoping Jen was back in town. His resolve to stay away and not ask questions was weakening. When a man answered the phone his heart sank just a little bit.

"I'm calling for Jennifer Shepard."

"She's not in right now. Can I take a message?"

"This is Agent Gibbs with NCIS, do you know when I might be able to speak to her?" Jethro decided to try an official sounding approach in an effort to find out who the man was.

"Oh, Agent Gibbs, this is Stephen Glass, Nicholas' father. Jen has told me about you. I'm sorry she's out of the country right now. I expect her back next week sometime. I'll be happy to leave a note that you called."

"Thank you, I'd appreciate that. Is she alright?"

"Yes, she's fine as far as I know. She's working and sometimes that takes her out of the country as you know. I appreciate you calling to check up on her."

"No problem. Good night."

Out of the country? Working? Gibbs was confused and just a little bit pissed off. He wondered if Jen had lied to him from the beginning or if circumstances had changed and she had just gone back to work. He supposed he would just have to wait until she got home to explore all that.

Jen was out of the country and she was working, sort of. She hadn't lied to Gibbs, not really. She was on a leave of absence, officially, but she was still working off the radar so to speak. She was chasing her demons. Until she caught them or at least exhausted all efforts in the attempt, she knew she couldn't trust herself to get close to anyone or let anyone get close to her. As she sat in a hot, dusty, outdoor café waiting for her contact, she thought about Jethro and hoped he was alright. She missed hearing his voice. In truth she missed a lot more than that but she couldn't afford to think about that right now. Maybe in a few weeks when this mess was cleaned up and she was back home; maybe then she would do more than think about it.

Two more weeks passed with no word from Jen and no answer when he called. School was out for Thanksgiving break so Jethro figured Stephen and Nicholas were back in Boston. The weather was mild on Friday and since they weren't working Jethro and Ducky went sailing. They didn't talk about Jen because there wasn't anything left to say. Ducky was becoming concerned about his friend because he saw Jethro beginning to retreat to his old ways of closing himself off and working much too much. He hoped Jennifer would be coming back to DC soon and that when she did they might be able to work out what was happening or more precisely NOT happening between them.

The following week would prove to be one of immeasurable importance in the lives of both Jen and Jethro.

TBC

This story is complete but too long to post all at once. Next chapter will be up tomorrow. I promise. Reviews are always welcome. Thanks for reading.

A/N 2 I learned today that a previous story of mine "Shoulda Stayed for Breakfast" (KIBBS) has been nominated for an award of some sort. This is a first for me so thank you to whomever did that.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews of the VERY LONG chapter one. Sorry about that. Here's Ch. 2 and Ch. 3 is right behind it.

**She's Practically You, Jethro**

**Chapter 2**

_The following week would prove to be one of immeasurable importance in the lives of both Jen and Jethro._

Jen finally found who she was looking for "out of the country" and at least that part of her nightmare was over. Having accomplished their mission she and the man she was working with started back to the States on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Jen didn't even know what day it was and certainly didn't realize she had missed the holiday. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. She was feeling some relief but the sense of closure and justice she had been expecting was missing. Maybe that was okay she reasoned, at least now she could let go of that part of her life and move on. That's what she was telling herself on the plane ride home anyway.

While Jen was going from one small plane to another on her way to a major city and a bigger plane, Jethro was fighting for his life first in a convenience store shootout and then on the operating table at Bethesda Naval Hospital. In the very early morning hours of Tuesday, Jethro and his team were on their way back to the Navy Yard from a crime scene when he decided to stop for coffee. His three agents were too tired to get out of the car and besides none of them wanted coffee at that hour; they wanted to go home and go to bed. They waited in the car. Unfortunately for Gibbs he walked into the small neighborhood store just as two young men, high on drugs and alcohol were in the process of robbing the store. Gibbs managed to get his gun out and shoot the dirt bag at the counter but he didn't know there was another robber in the back of the store helping himself to a case of beer. When he heard Gibbs yell and then heard gunfire that young man came from the back firing at Gibbs almost before he even had a chance to turn around. Of course the gunfire had alerted the team and Tony ran into the store and shot the robber who had shot Gibbs. McGee called 911 and Ziva went to help Gibbs. He had fallen right where he had been standing and had already lost a considerable amount of blood. Ziva could get a very faint pulse but Gibbs' breathing was ragged and she was almost certain he was dying.

Luckily an ambulance was just a few blocks away and they managed to get Gibbs loaded and on the way to the hospital in just minutes. Tony rode in the ambulance with his boss never letting go of his hand and talking to him all the while. The paramedic continued to work on Gibbs during the trip to the hospital and was in contact with the ER by phone. Doctors were waiting at the ER entrance and took Gibbs immediately to a trauma room. Tony was left to wait in the hall. He heard a lot of beeping followed by shouting and people running in and out. It looked chaotic to Tony and he prayed they were saving his boss. They were but just barely. If the hospital had been another five minutes away or the ambulance hadn't been so near the store, or Ziva hadn't been able to control at least some of the bleeding, Gibbs would surely have died for that cup of coffee he wanted. As it was he endured almost three hours of surgery and still wasn't considered out of danger.

Long before the surgery was over, Ducky, McGee, Ziva and Abby had arrived at the hospital to join Tony in a grim vigil in the waiting room. They paced and sat and paced some more as the hours slipped past and the new day began outside the walls of the hospital. When the surgeon finally came to tell them Gibbs was holding on and would be in the ICU for at least a few days if he survived, they didn't feel all that encouraged. At least he was still alive. They all looked at each other and decided they should try to eat something so they headed for the cafeteria and some much needed breakfast. Ducky reminded them that Jethro was tough and had survived bad circumstances before. He encouraged them to eat and rest, telling them Jethro would need them in the coming weeks. His attempt at optimism didn't go unnoticed by the team but they were each feeling guilty for not being in the store with Gibbs and now they were each afraid he wasn't going to survive. Optimistic was not a term that could have been used to describe any of them that morning.

Jen finally arrived home, exhausted, dirty and hungry late Wednesday morning. Stephen was staying at the townhouse with Nicholas but the child was in school and Stephen was at a meeting when she arrived at the house. Jen took a long hot shower, ate a quick sandwich and fell into bed where she was still asleep when Nicholas pounced on her at 4:00. Much hugging and laughing ensued and Jen got up, got dressed and went downstairs to talk to Stephen while Nicholas fixed himself a snack. After they talked about her trip and Nicholas' school and the holiday in Boston, Stephen told her about Jethro's call two weeks prior. Since he was due back in Boston the next day he told Nicholas goodbye and left to catch the train.

The next morning after getting Nicholas off to school, Jen called NCIS and asked to speak to Agent Gibbs. She had decided she really wanted to talk to Jethro and planned to invite him to lunch. The switchboard person told her in a rather strange tone of voice that Agent Gibbs was unavailable so she asked to speak to Ducky. She was told Dr. Mallard was also unavailable. Something in the woman's voice set off alarm bells in Jen's head and she asked the woman to take her number and to please have Dr. Mallard call as soon as possible. She said it was an emergency. The feeling she was getting in the pit of her stomach told her it was most certainly an emergency even if she didn't know what kind.

Jen was pacing back and forth in her kitchen when Ducky called fifteen minutes later.

"Ah, Jennifer, you're home. We heard you were out of the country." Ducky was stalling as best he could.

"Ducky, I tried to reach Jethro but I was told he was unavailable. Is he on a case or out of town?"

"No, my dear, I'm afraid not. Jethro is in the hospital."

"Oh my god, is he alright? What happened?"

"He was wounded in a robbery and shooting on Tuesday. No, I'm afraid he's not alright, not at the moment anyway. We expect he will be, but today he's still considered in very serious condition."

Jen didn't say anything for such a long time that Ducky feared she had hung up or passed out or something. "Are you there Jennifer?"

"Can I see him?"

Ducky could hear the tears in her voice. "Yes, of course. He's at Bethesda. If you want to come now I can meet you in the lobby as I'm already here."

"Thank you Ducky, I'm on my way." Jen picked up her purse and left the house. How she made it to the hospital in one piece she didn't know because she could barely focus on the task of driving. Her mind was a whirlwind of what if's and why's. By the time she felt Ducky's arms around her she couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

Jen finally managed to pull herself together and let Ducky lead her to a quiet corner where they could talk. She wiped her eyes and asked again what happened. Ducky told her the story of the botched robbery and shooting. He told her that Jethro had multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and that if the circumstances had been even a bit different in any number of ways he would have died where he was shot. As Ducky told her the story he could see the anguish on her face and the fear that was evident in her eyes.

"But he is going to be alright, isn't he?" All she could think of was that she was going to lose Jethro before she even really go to know him. For some reason that possibility was overwhelming to her.

"I won't lie to you Jennifer he is still in very serious condition. He is struggling but, yes, I believe he will survive. There must be some reason why everything came together that morning to allow him to survive this long.

"When did this happen?"

"About 2:30 am on Tuesday." Ducky paused and studied the woman before him. She as visibly upset and seemed to be almost in a daze. He thought maybe she needed a few minutes to gather herself before he took her to see Jethro. "Tell me Jennifer how are you, I mean besides this difficult news how are you doing? I ask because I know Jethro has been concerned about you and had been calling to check up on you but had not talked to you in a while."

"Yes, he has been wonderful in checking on me. I'm much better Ducky. I have been away for just over two weeks taking care of some unfinished business and I'm better now that it's out of the way. That's why I was calling Jethro today, I wanted to invite him to lunch and see where we stood with each other. I have kept him at arms length for so long I don't know if he will want to start our relationship up again or not. I really wanted to thank him for being so patient and yet persistent in calling me. He never pushed me or asked questions he knew I didn't want to answer. I don't know how but he seemed to know I couldn't give him any answers."

"My dear I can assure you, Jethro will be thrilled to hear from you and I'm sure he will want to see you and spend time with you. He has been through a lot of difficulty in his lifetime and he recognized that you were struggling to deal with something very personal. He has been in that position and could relate to your need to take care of your business yourself. I can tell you it has been difficult for him to remain on the sidelines because his instinct is to fix problems but he values your friendship enough to know he needed to let you do it your way."

"Even though we have known each other for such a short time I feel such a connection with Jethro. He is one of the few people I have ever felt completely safe with; physically and emotionally. I get a very good feeling about him, Ducky; he is one of the best men I've ever met."

"Jethro is a very loyal friend and completely trustworthy. He does come with his own unique challenges but I assure you, he is worth the effort. Jennifer, let me ask you a personal question if I may, do you have any plans to be leaving again in the near future? I ask because Jethro is like a son to me, I love him and will always seek to protect him as much as possible. He doesn't deserve to be loved and then left again, if you get my meaning."

"I do get your point Ducky and I promise you, I have no intention of leaving again anytime in the near future. If he will have me I want us to get to know each other much better."

"I'm happy to hear that, my dear. I hope I didn't offend you by asking. Why don't we go up and see how the patient is doing this morning."

Ducky led Jen upstairs to the ICU. The rules were being bent slightly to allow team members to stay with Gibbs anytime they wanted to be there. This morning DiNozzo and Ziva were there talking quietly and watching the Boss, as they called him, sleep. Ducky and Jen stepped into the room and Ducky noted that Jethro was resting comfortably.

"Jennifer, this is Agent DiNozzo and Officer David. Tony, Ziva, this is Jennifer Shepard, a friend of Jethro's and mine."

Tony extended his hand, "The lady who got hit by the car, right? Glad to meet you."

Ziva shook hands with Jen as well. "Yes, I'm the lucky one who was hit by a car right in front of Ducky and Jethro. I'm glad to meet you both, Jethro speaks very well of both of you. I'm sorry we are meeting under these circumstances of course."

"Ducky, the doctor came in while you were downstairs. He said everything looks okay and you can catch up with him if you want. He said he'd be on this floor all morning. Since you're here, Ziva and I will head on to the office. Call if anything changes."

"Will do Tony. I have a feeling Jethro is going to get better starting today."

"Sure hope you're right. Goodbye Ms. Shepard."

When Tony and Ziva left, Jen finally focused all her attention on the man in the bed. Jethro's chest was covered with a large bandage, he had a tube down his throat and another one coming out of his side. There were wires everywhere and an IV in the back of his left hand. Overall he looked like hell she thought.

Ducky seemed to sense her hesitation. "I know it looks bad and it is, but he's getting better I assure you. As I said he has been struggling since the surgery but from the looks of things this morning he had a good night last night. It's just going to be a slow process. He will hear you if you talk to him and I'm sure he will appreciate hearing your voice instead of mine. I'm going to find the doctor. Why don't you let Jethro know you're here."

Jen smiled at Ducky and moved to the side of the bed, "Thank you Ducky." She reached over the bedrail and took Jethro's right hand in hers. She raised it to her lips and kissed his palm before holding his hand to her cheek. She could feel tears starting in her eyes but she fought them off. She leaned down, kissed him tenderly on the forehead and said, "Hey, Jethro, it's Jen. I'm finally home and here you are laid up in the hospital. I thought I told you to take care of yourself. I still owe you a lunch so you need to get better so you can collect." While she talked to him Jen gently caressed his arm up and down and held his hand in both of hers.

Jen continued to talk to Jethro about how much she had missed him and how glad she was to be home. She encouraged him to keep fighting to get better and promised she would be there when he woke up. She never let go of his hand and after almost an hour she felt his fingers moving just slightly in her grip. Looking up she saw his eyes fluttering open so she pressed the call button for the nurse who was there in seconds.

Jen continued to hold his hand while the nurse checked him over. "Agent Gibbs blink twice if you can hear me."

Jethro blinked twice. "Very good. Do you know where you are?"

Two more blinks. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

Again two blinks but then he turned his head to look directly at Jen. "Hey, handsome. I was hoping we could have lunch together but I guess I'll have to give you another rain check. Okay?"

Jethro blinked at her twice and she leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. The nurse asked him if he was in any pain and he blinked once for no. Both women doubted that was entirely true but accepted his response. The nurse told Jethro what they were doing for him and that he would be there for at least one more day. She explained that he had two gunshot wounds to his chest and that was why he had a chest tube. He took his hand from Jen's, pointed to the breathing tube and raised his eyebrows in question. The nurse told him she would have the doctor come in and talk to him about when it could come out. Jethro gave his hand back to Jen and closed his eyes falling back to sleep. Ducky returned from talking to the doctor and told Jen things had improved somewhat overnight. He said the doctor was pleased with their patient's progress and if Jethro could avoid infection he could probably be moved from the ICU to a private room in the next couple of days.

During the rest of the morning and the early afternoon Jethro woke up several more times and each time he stayed awake just a little longer. He was extremely weak however and staying awake for even a few minutes seemed to require more energy than he could muster. Jen continued to sit with him and hold his hand, talking to him about Nicholas, the weather, anything she could think of. Every now and then she felt him barely squeeze her hand. At least he seemed to know she was there.

About 2:00 Jen stepped into the hallway to stretch her legs and find the ladies room. On her way back to Jethro she found Ducky coming down the hallway. She was glad to see him because she had some questions she didn't want to ask in front of Jethro even though he was asleep. Jen had some experience with gunshot wounds and from what she could see Jethro was still in very serious condition. "He seems awfully weak, Ducky. Just how bad were his injuries?" .

"He was shot twice from relatively close range. Luckily the young man was not a very good shot and was using a small caliber gun. Otherwise Jethro would have been dead where he fell. Also, the team was right there and an ambulance was just a few blocks away. Being close to here was also a godsend. However they lost him once in the ER and again on the table but they were able to revive him obviously. The surgery was long and tedious but I have complete faith in his doctors. Jethro is a fighter and I believe he will pull through this. Once he gets through the next 24 hours I believe things will begin to improve. They are keeping him pretty heavily sedated at this point but they will begin to taper that off in the next day or so."

"I know its only been two days but he just seems so out of it. Probably the sedation as you said. I would like to stay longer but I need to get Nicholas from school."

"That's fine my dear. I'll be here and at least one of Jethro's team will be here tonight. You need to spend time with your son. Just come back when you can."

"Oh, I'll be back in the morning after I drop Nicholas at school. I know it sounds strange given the short time we've known each other but I want to be here with Jethro and help if I can. But, I don't want to intrude on you and the team so please let me know if I am.

"You are not intruding, I assure you. I have a feeling that hearing your voice and feeling your touch will be some of the best medicine Jethro can have."

"I'll just say goodbye then and I'll be back tomorrow." Jen reentered the area where Jethro was and went to the bedside. She took his hand and leaned down to kiss him goodbye. She felt a slight squeeze of her fingers.

"I have to go get Nicholas from school. I'll be back in the morning. I want you to have a good night and behave yourself." She gave him one more quick kiss and left the room before the tears in her eyes could escape.

The next day Jen went to the hospital after dropping Nicholas at school. Jethro was awake and the doctor was with him so she waited at the desk. While she was waiting Ducky appeared at her side.

"Good morning Jennifer. Jethro had another good night and I think they may move him to a private room this afternoon or tomorrow."

"That's very good news Ducky. I know you all must be so relieved. He will be able to return to work eventually won't he?" Jen knew from her brief time with Jethro that his work and his team meant everything to him.

"Oh yes, he'll be back. I shudder to think what would happen if someone tried to prevent him from coming back. How is your son doing with the new school and the cold weather?"

"Nicholas loves school. He's made some friends and is playing basketball. He thinks cold weather is just okay but he's hoping for some snow. Of course I'm not because I'm not a fan of cold weather."

The doctor stepped out of the room and greeted Ducky. "Good morning Dr. Mallard and Ms. Shepard, right?" Jen nodded and the doctor continued. "Agent Gibbs has made very good progress in the last two days. I've just removed the breathing tube and hopefully the chest tube will come out tomorrow. His lungs are clear and he seems to be healing just fine. I know he will begin to get restless in the next few days but I expect he will need to be here another five days at least. We're moving him to a regular room later today most likely."

"Thank you doctor. I appreciate your time and effort."

Jen and Ducky went in to see Jethro and found he was still awake. The nurse was giving him some ice chips and telling him not to do too much talking for a while. Jen pulled a chair up next to the bed and reached for his hand. It just seemed the most natural thing in the world for her to be here, holding his hand and kissing him hello.

"Good morning, you're looking better this morning." Jen saw he was going to try and answer her. "Don't try to talk, just relax."

Determined to tell her hello, Jethro managed to croak out, "Hi, Jen."

"Hi yourself. I thought I was pretty clear the last time we talked that you were supposed to take care of yourself and be careful."

"I was."

"All evidence to the contrary Agent Gibbs. I will forgive you however on the condition that you keep getting better and promise to have lunch with me as soon as you get out of here."

"Deal." Jethro tried to tell her with his eyes how happy he was to see her. At least with the damn tube out of his mouth he could smile at her. It felt so good just to see her and know she was back in his life it almost made getting shot worth it. Almost. He sure wanted a kiss though and in a soft, pleading voice he asked for one. "Kiss, please?"

Jen was more than happy to oblige him his request. She leaned down and brushed her lips softly across his and placed a series of feather light kisses at the corners of his mouth. After she teased him for a while she kissed him fully on the mouth; not as much as he wanted of course but under the circumstances it was the best thing to happen to him in several days. Ten minutes later he fell back to sleep. Jen renewed her hand holding vigil while Jethro slept. What was it about this man that she couldn't get enough of? He seemed to have some kind of hold on her that she couldn't explain even to herself. When she wasn't with him he was all she thought about and when she was with him she couldn't take her eyes off of him. She barely knew him and yet she felt completely at ease with him. She felt Ducky watching her and blushed when she turned to find him smiling at her.

Jethro was in and out the rest of the morning but at least he was awake for longer periods of time now. About 11:00 he woke up and overheard Ducky and Jen talking.

"I can see you care for him, Jennifer. You shouldn't be embarrassed."

"You know Ducky I have only spent part of two days with Jethro and yet I can't imagine not being here with him now. I don't know him and he doesn't know me but somehow we seem to fit together so well. I can't explain it."

"Don't try to explain it Jennifer, just enjoy it. As I told you yesterday, Jethro can be a challenge but he is worth your time and effort. He is a very generous and loyal friend. There is nothing he would not do for any member of his team and I suspect nothing he wouldn't do for you. His recovery from this shooting will be more difficult than ones he has faced in the past and I warn you he is not, I repeat, NOT a good patient."

From the bed came an attempt at a growl, "Hey, don't tell her bad stuff about me Duck."

Ducky got out of his chair and walked to the side of the bed as Jen turned her attention back to Jethro. "Good morning again, Jethro. I was just giving our friend here a heads up as to your reputation in the medical community."

"Don't believe him." He looked up at Jen and was more than happy to see her smiling down at him.

"Even if I believe him I'll still be here." Jen leaned down and kissed him on the mouth.

"Thank you." Jethro was still very weak and the least bit of conversation seemed to tire him out. He resisted sleep though because he wanted to be able to enjoy having Jen sitting with him, holding his hand and touching him. It felt better than anything the doctors or nurses could give him.

Jen offered him a small drink of water which he gratefully took. "You had a good night and the doctor says you can go to a regular room later today."

Jethro looked over at Ducky and asked, "How much longer?"

"At least five days. It will depend on how you progress of course. How well you can eat, move around and how your internal systems are working. If you cooperate, my guess will be no more than five days."

"I guess I can do five days."

"I'm going to the office and leave you two alone. Try to behave yourself Jethro. I'll see you later, Jennifer."

"Bye Duck."

"Good bye Ducky."

"Do you want to tell me why you have such a bad reputation in the medical community?"

"Nope." Turning serious Jethro looked directly in Jen's lovely green eyes and told her, "I should warn you I can be a real bastard when I'm recovering from anything.. I'm very hard to get along with sometimes and I'll probably say at least one thing that will hurt your feelings."

"Thanks for the warning. I have a pretty thick skin so I imagine I'll be okay."

Happy to change the subject Jethro asked, "How's Nicholas liking it up here?"

Jen told Jethro all about Nicholas' school and his new friends. She talked about their adjustment and how much he liked being able to see his dad more often. After a while Jethro drifted back to sleep and Jen dozed off with her head on the side of the bed and his hand firmly in hers. The rest of the morning and the afternoon, Jethro slept for an hour or so then was awake for fifteen or twenty minutes. The nurses assured Jen that was expected especially considering the amount of pain killers they had him on. She was told they wanted him to rest as much as possible for at least the rest of today and probably tomorrow so his body could heal without having to fight off pain.

At 3:30 Jen reluctantly told Jethro she had to leave to pick Nicholas up from school. She told him she wouldn't be able to come back until Monday because she needed to spend some time with her son. Not seeing him for two days seemed like it was going to be very difficult but she needed to put Nicholas first. Jethro assured her he understood and promised he would still be there when she came back. Jen leaned down and gave him the first proper kiss he'd had since she went sailing with him. Jethro managed to get his hands tangled in her hair as he deepened the kiss and held her pressed to his mouth until they both had to come up for air.

"I'll see you on Monday. Have a good weekend."

Jen squeezed his hand then said goodbye and left before she gave into the desire for another kiss. She had to admit that she was tired and was looking forward to a couple of days with Nicholas. As much as she wanted to be with Jethro it was very tiring to spend the entire day in a hospital room. He seemed to be getting stronger even in the two days she had been there and hopefully he would be able to go home in a few days. Jen wondered where he would go when he was discharged. He certainly couldn't go home alone; maybe he would stay with Ducky. Not her problem to solve she told herself.

The weekend passed very well for Jethro. He told Ducky on Friday night that he wanted him and the team to take a break from the hospital and enjoy their weekend now that he was doing okay. He was indeed moved to a private room Friday evening and he was being weaned off the pain medication and introduced to the concept of food once again. There were breathing exercises and some physical therapy both of which Jethro viewed as forms of torture. On Sunday he was able to walk to the bathroom and have what passed for a shower; a poor substitute in his opinion but very welcome nevertheless. Since he was hoping to be discharged on Wednesday or Thursday at the latest he was being very cooperative which was a pleasant surprise to the nursing staff especially his favorite, Anne. She remembered Jethro from an earlier stay and commented to him that he must be mellowing and he actually laughed with her.

Not having visitors over the weekend afforded Jethro plenty of time to thing about things and about Jen in particular. He was thrilled that she was back in DC and had been spending so much time with him. He wondered about where she had been for so long and if she had taken care of whatever it was that was haunting her when they first met. If she had and she was back to stay Jethro had all sorts of ideas running around in his head. Ideas that he sincerely hoped would turn into reality when he was out of the hospital and recovered. The feeling he got when she kissed him was definitely something he wanted to experience again and hopefully on a regular basis. The taste of her, the scent of her and the feel of her skin under his fingertips were all conspiring to drive him crazy while he was trapped in this damn hospital. Five more days! That seemed like a long time but then again, Jethro realized he could barely sit up or walk around so doing anything really satisfying about his fantasies was probably more than five days away.

On Sunday night Ducky came to visit and they talked about where Jethro would go when he was released. Ducky offered to have him stay at his house until he could be on his own.

"I have the extra bedroom downstairs and you would be welcome of course."

"My dad called yesterday and wants me to come stay with him for a couple of weeks. I told him I would since Christmas is coming and I was going up there anyway for a few days. He's going to come pick me up whenever I'm clear to go."

"I think that's a wonderful idea. He will no doubt spoil you rotten and get you back in shape in no time. It pleases me that you two have resolved your differences. I know it has been a help to you Jethro to have him back in your life."

"Yeah it has. What do you think about Jen?"

"I'm not sure what you mean. Off the top of my head I'd say I think she's quite beautiful, very intelligent and more than capable of holding her own with you."

"Do you think she's taken care of whatever it was that she couldn't talk about ?"

"She says she has. She told me she took care of what was bothering her and she wouldn't be leaving again anytime soon. Have you tried to talk to her about it yet?"

"No, I haven't really felt like I was up to it or that she was eager to get into it with me."

"She's probably just waiting for you to get your strength back. After all she did call you when she got back and was intending to invite you to lunch when she found you were here. I doubt she's ignoring the issue."

"You're right. Hopefully we can talk about it before I go to dad's but I'll leave it up to her."

"I better go. I'll see you sometime tomorrow. Goodnight Jethro."

"Night Duck."

On Monday and Tuesday, Jethro concentrated on eating and moving around as much as possible. Jen was there most of both days providing support and encouragement. Jethro didn't asked where she'd been when Stephen told him she was out of the country and she didn't volunteer any information in that regard. The talked mainly about the upcoming holidays, Nicholas, and Jethro's team members who visited on and off each day. Jethro told her he was going to be staying with his father through the Christmas holiday.

Each afternoon when Jen left she kissed Jethro and promised to see him the next morning. The kisses were the best part of his day and they got better every day. Now that he could be out of bed and upright he had even managed a couple of gentle hugs the past two days. The feel of Jen in his arms was all the incentive he needed to be the model patient so he could escape the hospital.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews of the VERY LONG chapter one. Sorry about that. The conclusion will be up later today. Thanks for reading.

**She's Practically You, Jethro**

**Chapter 3**

Early Wednesday morning Jethro was sitting in the chair looking out the window when Tobias Fornell walked in the room. Aside from Ducky and his team, Fornell was Jethro's closest friend.

"Well, good morning, Gibbs. I finally catch you awake. Every time I come to see you you're asleep. How are you feeling?"

"Better. It's good to be out of that bed, that's for sure. What's going on with you?"

"Oh you know same old stories. When you getting out of here?"

"Hopefully tomorrow. You're here early."

"Just headed to the office and thought I might catch you awake. I hear you've got a new redhead in your life."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"Around. How'd you meet her?"

"What is this Tobias? Why the interest in my personal life?"

Fornell totally ignored that question and went on, "Jennifer Shepard, right?"

Now Jethro was beyond curious and edging toward pissed. "Tobias, what the hell is going on? How do you know about Jen and why are you interested?"

Again Fornell ignored the questions and asked another one of his own. "Do you know what she does?"

Realizing that Tobias wasn't going to answer his questions and more than just a little anxious to know what this was all about Jethro answered him. "Okay, yes, I know Jennifer Shepard. I met her when she was hit by a car in a crosswalk while she was jogging. We've had exactly two dates. She told me she does security work for a company most recently contracted with SouthComm. Now, you answer my question, why are you interested?"

"I just wanted to be sure you knew what you're getting yourself into. Hell, Jethro she's practically a female version of you. She's one tough cookie I'll tell you. Speaks several languages, excellent shot, works undercover when necessary and very dedicated to her job. She doesn't quite have the attitude you do or the reputation as a bastard of course, but otherwise she's pretty much you."

"And just how do you know all this?" Jethro was now more alert and focused than he had been in days. Fornell was a friend and he knew he wouldn't be telling him all this unless there was a reason. He could tell by the look on his friend's face there was more to the story.

"Has she told you anything about where she's been the last month or so?"

"She told me she was on a leave of absence from her job. Look, Tobias, she'll probably be here in a few minutes so get to the point will ya."

"Okay, I'm telling you this because we're friends and I just think you should know. If she hasn't told you maybe I shouldn't but if you insist I will tell you what I know."

"I insist."

"About this time last year she was working in Bogotá. And by the way, she does protection, not just security. Anyway, she and her partner were covering an FBI agent down there who was working with the local's and DEA on some big drug case. This agent wasn't very bright I guess and had his family come down there for the Christmas holidays but he didn't tell the security people until they were due to arrive at the airport. So, wife and son arrive and a couple of days later they're ambushed and the boy is taken. Ms. Shepard is wounded and her partner is killed during the snatch. Long story short, the kidnapping goes south real quick and the kid winds up dead. So…Ms. Shepard keeps on working until eventually they pull her out. But, a few months later she convinces them to let her go back off the record and track down the kidnappers. She hooks up with a local informant she knew and about two weeks ago they found the two guys somewhere in Colombia. Now she's back; end of story."

Before Jethro could say anything or even begin to digest all that information there was a knock on the door and Jen walked in holding a large cup of his favorite coffee. The magic elixir he had only yesterday been allowed to taste again.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting? I could wait."

Jethro managed to stand up and walk a couple of steps to her. He gave her a quick kiss and then took the coffee from her. "Don't even think of leaving. You're not interrupting anything. This is a friend, Tobias Fornell, we're just catching up."

Fornell put out his hand and smiled, " Good morning, Ms. Shepard. Nice to meet you. I have to be going anyway." Pointing to the cup of coffee Jethro was now sipping from he went on, "You know Gibbs, I've been telling you for years your addiction to that stuff was going to kill you. Looks like I was almost right. I'm glad you're okay. I'll see ya. Goodbye Ms. Shepard."

When the door closed behind Fornell, Jethro put the coffee down and opened his arms to Jen who gently embraced him and kissed him a more proper kiss.

"It sure feels good to have my arms around you, Jen. How was your night?" Jethro wanted some time process what Fornell had told him so he was hoping for some idle conversation.

"My evening was very nice. Nicholas and I did some Christmas shopping and finished decorating the house. How does your friend know my name?"

Damn. He was hoping she had missed that but apparently not. No point in trying to pass that over. "Tobias is FBI."

Jen stepped back from Jethro and turned to look out the window. The way he said it told her the two men hadn't been talking about old times. She thought she had seen a look pass between them and now she was sure of it. She was also sure she could see something new in the way Jethro was looking at her. A questioning or a wariness that hadn't been there before. Dammit. She had wanted this conversation to be on her terms and her timetable. That didn't seem like it was going to happen now.

"He told you, didn't he?"

"He gave me an abbreviated version. Enough for me to know you're more than a consultant. Jen, you don't have to talk about this unless you're ready. I told you I would wait and I will." Jethro reached for her wrist and pulled her back toward him. "It doesn't change how I feel about you. I want you to believe that."

Jen reached up and laid a hand on his cheek and looked him in the eyes. "I wanted to wait until you were out of here and we could have a proper conversation in a more private place. But…maybe we just need to get this out in the open and see where it takes us. Why don't you sit down, this could take me a while."

Jethro agreed and went back to the chair. Jen stood looking out the window. The day was cold and clear. She could see people coming and going from the hospital. She took a deep breath and plunged into her story.

"My partner, Sean, and I were tasked with the protection of an FBI agent I'll call Joe. Joe was helping the DEA and the locals with the details of a big drug smuggling case. He didn't like having a security detail for some reason we could never understand. Anyway, he had his wife and nine year old son come to Colombia for Christmas last year. He didn't tell us they were coming until it was time to pick them up from the airport. So, of course we didn't have adequate manpower and no time to plan anything. We were flying by the seat of our pants. We picked them up and got everyone back to the house just fine. Sean had explained to Joe many times that he was undoubtedly being watched and needed to be very careful and observant. Honestly how that guy ever got into the FBI we never understood.

One morning the wife decided she just had to go shopping and take their son. I tried to impress on her the dangers of being out without enough people to cover her and her son and check the area but she was adamant. Against my better judgment we went shopping. Sean and I finally realized she was going to go without us if we didn't go along. We figured we could manage one trip. We were wrong. Obviously they were watching the house and almost as soon as we were away the car was stopped and we were surrounded. Sean and I did what we could but it was pointless. Sean was killed and I took one in the shoulder knocking me down. They grabbed the boy, knocked the wife out and were gone in thirty seconds or less."

Jen turned from the window to look at Jethro. His expression was neutral and she couldn't tell what he was thinking. He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze of encouragement and comfort.

"Doesn't sound like you had a chance to do anything differently."

"No we didn't really but it took me a long time to accept that. Of course the situation went from bad to worse pretty quickly. The kidnappers panicked for some reason; they were probably first timers and weren't supposed to kill anyone. For whatever reason, they wound up killing the boy even though they got the ransom money the next day. The FBI pulled Joe out of course and I never saw him or the wife again. I was laid up for a few days and then went back to Tampa for a couple of months. I was a mess. The only thing that kept me sane was Nicholas and every time I looked at him I saw that little boy being dragged away screaming for his mom. I had nightmares, depression the whole nine yards. Eventually I found someone I could talk to and things got better.

Several months later I went back to work in Colombia and started hearing talk about the kidnapping and how the two men who took the boy were bragging about killing the American and the little boy. Well, that just flat pissed me off and I decided I would find those two dirt bags and get some justice for Sean and the boy. Naturally my bosses weren't too thrilled with that idea. Hence the leave of absence. After I came up here I kept in touch with some contacts in Bogotá and eventually I convinced some important people in the company and other places, that we needed to send those dirt bags a message that killing Americans was not in their best interests.

I went back to Colombia the week before I met you and Ducky and began laying the groundwork for a mission to find the kidnappers and deal with them. That's why I went back a couple of weeks later. My contacts had let it be known that I was no longer working for the Americans and was no longer in Colombia. I went back with a partner from DEA. I was very well disguised; I don't think even my own mother could have recognized me, and we tracked those two bastards for five days. Finally we found them in a little village in the mountains. We called in some favors and the kidnappers were dealt with."

Jen sat on the side of the bed near Jethro's chair. She reached for his hand and he entwined his fingers with hers. For a long time neither of them spoke. Jen broke the silence when she very quietly asked, "Did you ever know who killed your wife and daughter?"

"Yes." Jethro's response was hushed and if she hadn't been listening closely she wouldn't have heard him.

"Was he punished?"

Jethro thought about that for a minute before answering. "He was dealt with. I like to think he was punished after that."

"And did that help you?"

"Not as much as I thought it would."

"Me either."

They sat in silence for a long time. Jethro watched her and absently rubbed his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand. He wanted to say something to comfort her or reassure her but he was afraid it would sound trite and she would misunderstand his intentions. Jen was hoping he would respond somehow but even she wasn't sure what she wanted him to say. Finally she couldn't stand it any longer.

"What are you thinking?'

"That you are a lot more than a security consultant. That I wish I had known what you were doing so I could have been your backup. That there is a lot more to Jenny Shepard than a beautiful face and a sexy smile. And that I really want to kiss you right now."

"Gosh that's a lot of thinking going on in there Agent Gibbs. I think we should start with the last one and work our way backward."

Jen slipped off the bed and Jethro stood up and took her into his arms. He brushed her hair back off her face and kissed her with as much passion and desire as he ever had. When he pulled back to breathe he kissed her lightly on the forehead and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Whatever you're feeling about all that is okay, Jen. I understand about guilt and loss and the overwhelming desire for justice or revenge or whatever you want to call it. I've been there and I know nothing but time will make it better."

"And does it get better?"

"Yes. It never goes away but it gets better. After while there will be more days that you don't think about it than days when you do. And when you do think about it you'll be able to turn it off more easily."

"I think I'm just now getting to the point where I WANT to turn it off. For a long time I guess I needed my anger and bitterness and hatred to know I was feeling anything. I don't want to have to use all that to feel anymore. I want to be able to feel the good things again. I want to be able to let myself accept what I'm feeling for you."

"I understand. In fact it's kinda creepy how well I understand. No one has ever said to me the things that I've felt about myself. I know it's hard to trust the good feelings but I promise I'll do everything in my power to make sure you don't regret trusting me."

"Thank you Jethro. Let's not talk anymore for a while. Can you just hold me?"

"I can if we sit down." They sat on the bed and Jen leaned her head on his shoulder. Jethro put his arm around her shoulders and held her hand with his free hand. Neither of them spoke for a long time.

Jen eventually sat up and looked Jethro in the eyes. "I trust you completely. I don't know why but I do. Unfortunately, it's not just about me trusting you. I care about you Jethro and I really like you. I'm just not very good at having relationships that last. Maybe I do what you've done; I choose badly. At least I have in the past. I have to focus most of my time and attention on Nicholas and that doesn't leave much for the man in my life. I'm not sure I have the energy or the emotional strength right now to give you what you deserve."

"Jen, please don't talk like that. You're scaring me and I'm not scared of anything. I understand you have a son and he has to be number one in your life. But you have to have a life of your own too. Nicholas will be grown and gone before you know it. Maybe you did choose the wrong guys in the past but I'm not them. You and I fit together; you said so yourself to Ducky. Don't shut me out before we have a chance to find out if we can make it work."

"What about what I've done? What about those men in Colombia that I hunted down?"

"What do you mean? You did what needed to be done, Jen. I don't think you did anything wrong. Do you?"

"I don't know. Yes, part of me believes that I'm no better than they are now. And another part believes I did the right thing for Sean and for that little boy. I guess I wonder how I can expect someone to love and accept me after knowing what I'm capable of."

"Jen, I have nothing but respect and admiration for how you dealt with what happened to you and Sean and that child. Listen, I was a sniper in the Marine Corps. I've killed a lot of men and sometimes I wonder how I will be judged for that. It was my job; I did what I was trained to do and I saved more lives than I took. It's part of who I am but it doesn't define me anymore. This thing you did is part of you now but it's not all of you by any means. I don't have any doubt that someone can love you. In fact I'm pretty sure I know someone who is falling in love with you right now."

Jen looked at him with tears in her eyes. She had just heard what she thought she wanted to hear more than anything in the world but suddenly it panicked her. She placed her hand tenderly on his mouth to silence him. "Please don't say that Jethro. You can't be in love with me."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want that responsibility. I don't want to hurt you and it's almost inevitable that I will eventually. Maybe I'm just not ready but I'm afraid to get close to you."

"Jenny you're not making any sense. You've been here almost every day. We have confided in each other things we, at least I, haven't told anyone else. You are already close to me. I'm sorry you don't want to hear it but I'm crazy about you. I want to be with you Jen. You can't be telling me you don't want that too. I can take care of myself; I'm willing to risk getting hurt to be with you. I guess the question is are you?"

The look on his face told Jen she was hearing the plain, unvarnished truth from Jethro. She wanted to fall into his arms and never leave but she wouldn't. Taking his face in her hands she kissed him a slow, sweet kiss that told him she was leaving.

"I'm sorry Jethro, I guess I'm not ready. I want to be. I want to love you but I can't."

"You can't or you won't?" There was a hint of desperation and anger in his voice and Jethro didn't try to hide it. He felt her slipping away from him and his instinct was to hold on like a drowning man to a life preserver.

"Does it matter? You said once you'd give me time. Maybe I just need a little more time."

Jen looked at him and there was pleading in her eyes. He couldn't deny he wanted to give her what she needed but he felt his pride and anger beginning to exert themselves. Why drag this out if she was just going to say no? In the end though his feelings for her overcame his anger and his pride.

"Come here." Jethro enveloped her in a gentle embrace, holding her head against his shoulder with one hand on the back of her head while his other hand smoothed up and down her back. "I'm going to stay with my dad for a couple of weeks when I get out of here tomorrow. You have Christmas with Nicholas and enjoy your holiday. We can talk when I come back. How's that? We can work this out Jen, I know we can."

Jen's tears were making a wet spot on his shirt and her arms were wrapped around his chest as she relaxed in his embrace. "Okay. We can talk after the holidays. That sounds good. How long will you be with your dad?"

"Probably until the new year. Depends on how I'm feeling and how much we get on each other's nerves." Jethro gently pushed her back slightly so he could see her face. He tenderly wiped away her tears and kissed her. "Everything will be okay. Trust me."

The rest of the morning they didn't talk about their situation anymore. Instead, Jen told Jethro about the gifts she had for Nicholas and his excitement about Christmas. She said he was praying diligently for snow but she was praying just as hard against him. The grandparents were coming for a few days and then Nicholas would go to his father's in Boston for New Year's Eve. When Jethro heard that he had the beginnings of an idea that he promised himself he would explore much more in a couple of weeks. Before they knew it 3:00 rolled around and Jen had to leave.

"I'll walk you down to the door." Jethro was anxious to get out of the room and walking to the entrance of the hospital was good exercise for him. Besides, he wanted to have every minute he could with Jen since he wouldn't be seeing her for two or three weeks.

In the elevator he asked, "Do you think I could meet Nicholas when I come back?"

Jen had been considering this and was avoiding it in case they decided not to pursue their relationship. She didn't normally introduce the men she was dating to Nicholas but Jethro was different. She knew he would be a good person for Nicholas to know even if they didn't stay together as a couple.

"Yes, I think I'd like that. He has asked about you since I've been spending so much time at the hospital. It's not something I would normally do but yes, I want you to meet him and vice versa."

They had reached the entrance and Jethro took her hand pulling her aside to a corner. The same corner where Ducky had given her the news about Jethro ten days ago. "I will be thinking about you every day Jen. I know we're just beginning to know each other but I'm a very good judge of people and I believe you and I belong together. You take whatever time you need and I'll wait. I'm not saying I'll wait forever because I don't think I'll be able to do that but I can be reasonable." Then he kissed her a slow, deep kiss that stole her thoughts and her breathe away. "I'll call you."

"Thank you Jethro, for being willing to wait. I promise I'll be thinking about you and us everyday too. I want to know how you're doing so please, call often. Goodbye for now."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for your reviews. Here is the conclusion of the story.

**She's Practically You, Jethro**

**Chapter 4**

Jethro reluctantly let her go and watched her walk to her car and drive away. He was still standing there looking out the windows when Ducky walked in the front door.

"Well, Jethro, planning your escape?"

"Hey Duck. Just watching Jen leave."

"Oh, I see." Taking note of the younger man's expression Ducky became concerned. "Or maybe I don't. Is something wrong?"

"Not exactly. Things aren't exactly right either. It's sort of a mess Duck."

"Well that's our specialty isn't it my friend? Sorting out messes. Tell me about it if you want and maybe we can sort it out together."

Jethro and Ducky made their way back to Jethro's room and he explained to Ducky what Jen had been doing since they met her. He gave a summary of the whole conversation including his promise to wait for Jen to decide what she wanted.

"I must say, Jennifer is a surprise. I thought she was someone special but I had no idea how right I was. What is your feeling about the whole situation, Jethro?"

"I think she did what needed to be done. That doesn't make it any easier for her to accept it but she'll be alright with it eventually. As to the other, I'm hopeful. I think I love her Duck and I'm hoping she will let herself love me back. The way she talks about not wanting to get involved it's like she's been in my head and read all my thoughts. It's like listening to myself talk. I told Kate some of the same things Jen is telling me. I only hope I can be as persuasive to Jen as Kate was to me."

"Yes, I can imagine Caitlyn had to be quite persuasive to get past your defenses. It was worth it though wasn't it?"

Jethro smiled a sad smile. "Yeah, Duck it was. I'll always be sorry it took me so long to accept Kate's love and admit I loved her."

"Do you have a limit on your patience for Jen?"

"I don't know."

"Well, you can be very charming when you want to be my friend. I suspect if you give her a couple of weeks to think about it and then approach her again you will have your answer one way or another. For your sake I hope it's what you want to hear. Now, I guess I'd better be going. Your father is picking you up tomorrow, correct?"

"Yes, he'll be here in the morning and after we stop by the house to pick up some of my stuff we'll be on our way to Stillwater. I'll be back after the first of the year I imagine."

Ducky gave Jethro a hug and told him, "this was a close call Jethro. You got lucky this time my friend and I'm glad you're back with us. I hope Jen comes around. Be good to your dad and I'll see you in a couple of weeks."

"Bye Duck. Thanks for everything and I'll see you."

The next day Jackson Gibbs arrived at the hospital and Jethro was finally free. They stopped at his house to pick up some clothes and personal items and then drove to Stillwater, PA. When they arrived at the Gibbs home Jethro was exhausted even though he had spent most of the day just sitting in the car. He and his dad had a quick supper and then Jethro gratefully fell into his bed and enjoyed the first really good nights sleep he'd had in weeks.

The next couple of days were spent just moving gingerly around the house and trying to get back some of his strength. Jackson Gibbs was a good cook and Jethro eagerly ate whatever was put in front of him. He had very little pain most of the time but when he overdid it even a little he was reminded of his injuries. After being there for three days Jethro gave in to his urges and called Jen.

"Hey, it's Jethro. How are you?"

"Hello, Jethro, it's good to hear your voice. I'm fine, how are you?"

"I'm good. Getting stronger every day I think. I miss you though. You about ready for Christmas?"

"Yes, we're ready. In fact we probably got ready too early. Nicholas is driving me crazy shaking all his presents over and over. I just hope the wrapping holds up for a few more days. His grandparents will be here tomorrow, maybe that will distract him. I miss you too by the way. Can I call you on this number?"

"Sure, call anytime. This is my dad's phone. Cell coverage isn't very good here so this is the best number to call. Well, I just wanted to check on you and hear your voice. I guess I'll let you go."

"I'm glad you called. Call me again. Bye Jethro."

"Bye Jen."

Jackson came in the room and found his son staring at the phone. He took note of the sad expression on his face and shook his head. If anyone deserved to find a good woman it was his only son.

"Everything alright, son?"

"Yeah. I guess."

"Wanna talk about her?"

"How do you know it's a her?" Jethro smiled at his dad and shook his head. They had come a long way in the past year and he was very glad to have his father back in his life.

"You don't get that hangdog expression on your face for anything but a woman."

Jethro told his dad all about Jen from the way they met to the way they left things at the hospital. When he was finished he watched his dad get up and leave the room without saying a word. Soon Jackson was back with a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. He poured them both a drink and handed Jethro one of the glasses.

"She sounds like a woman you need to hang onto; if you can actually catch her that is. What's your plan?"

"No real plan. Just be patient and try to convince her to give us a chance. Any suggestions?"

"No, but I'll sure give it some thought."

For the next two weeks Jethro concentrated on getting back in shape. He took at least two walks every day going farther each day until he was walking four or five miles at a time. He also began some light weight lifting in the garage and every day he felt a little stronger. Calling Jen was the highlight of the day of course. He usually called after his walk and before hitting the weights. That way he could think about what he wanted to say while he was walking and then he had the weights to help him work out his frustrations. Their conversations were always friendly and light. Jethro was determined not to push her but he was having an increasingly difficult time not asking the hard questions he wanted answers to. Hearing her voice brought back the memory of how her hands felt in his, how her lips felt when they kissed. It was getting more and more difficult for him to just ask how she was and talk about the weather.

One day after talking to Jen he went to the garage to lift but he just sat on the bench for a long time thinking about her. Actually, thinking was probably not the right word. Fantasizing was more accurate. He could very clearly see her that day they went sailing; wearing that little bathing suit and looking so very desirable. He remembered the taste of her and the feel of her hands on his bare skin. He also remembered how soft her skin was under his rough hands. The way she kissed him and touched him. He thought about how she had looked at him in the hospital; how she cared for him and comforted him when he was in pain. Then he thought about what he wanted to do when he saw her again. He wanted to touch every inch of her; taste every spot and make love to her for hours. He wanted to hear her call his name as she fell apart beneath him. He wanted to whisper in her ear that he loved her as he moved inside her. The idea of slowly undressing her began to fill his mind to the point that he couldn't think of anything else.

Suddenly Jethro realized he was freezing and had to get up and move around. He set the weights and got to work. Lifting was just barely taking his mind off Jen but it was all he had right now. He wished he had a punching bag; maybe that would help with his frustration. There was only one thing that would really do the trick though; the woman herself. He needed a plan and he needed it pretty soon.

While Jethro was walking and lifting his frustrations away, Jen was running around DC trying to stop thinking about him. The weather was cold but clear and she was running at least ten miles a day in hopes of keeping Jethro out of her mind at least for the time it took her to make her circuit. It wasn't really working. Every time she came to an intersection she thought about the day they met. When she ran on the mall or around the tidal basin she thought about the weekend they spent together. That got her thinking about the sailing and that led to thinking about their kissing. Jen was blessed with a very good memory and an equally good imagination.

She remembered the sensations that coursed through her that day on the boat when Jethro took her in his lap and kissed her senseless. She remembered very well the feel of his hands on her bare back; the tingly feeling she got when she ran her hands over his chest. No one had ever made her feel like Jethro did just by looking at her with those mesmerizing blue eyes. His hand holding hers, his lips on hers, his voice when he said her name; all these things crowded her mind whether she was running or cooking or doing nothing at all. Every time he called she felt her breathing catch and her heart speed up. When they hung up she was sad and lonely until he called again. Jen knew what she wanted. All she needed now was the courage to reach out and take hold of it.

On Christmas Eve, Stephen came to stay for a couple of days and have Christmas with them. Jen had her hands full in the kitchen when the phone rang that afternoon so she asked him to answer for her.

"Shepard residence."

Jethro frowned at the phone and swallowed hard, "Is Jen there?"

"Yes, just a minute."

"Hi, Jen. Is this a bad time"

"Hi, Jethro, no I just had my hands full in the kitchen. How are you?"

"I'm good. I wanted to say Merry Christmas early. Was that Stephen who answered.?"

"Yes he just got here this afternoon. Are you sure you're okay, you sound kinda down."

"Holidays aren't my favorite time of the year. I'm good. Feeling like myself finally. Dad's cooking has put the pounds back on me and my workouts are going well. I'll be ready to go back to work when I get home."

"That's great. Any idea when you'll be back?"

"Not sure. Probably end of the week. I have a doctor's appointment on the third and if I pass that inspection I'm hoping to get back to work right away. I'll call the director next week. Listen, you have a good day tomorrow. Merry Christmas Jen. I love you."

"Oh Jethro, you aren't supposed to say that. But thank you. I'll call you tomorrow if that's okay."

"Sure, call anytime. Bye Jen."

Jen put the phone down and walked into the living room. Stephen was reading the paper. He looked up and smiled at her. "Jethro?"

"Yeah."

"He alright?"

"Yes, he's fine. Better every day he says."

"You alright?"

"I don't know. Want to hear about it?"

"Sure."

Jen told Stephen the whole story except for the part about Colombia. She didn't think he needed to know about that. She concentrated on her and Jethro and how she felt about it. She described how they met, the sailing, the phone calls and finally the shooting. She poured out her confusion and her fears and her desires. Stephen listened without comment. He knew Jen better than anyone else. They had a wonderful friendship and Jen trusted his judgment.

"He sounds like a man you should hold onto Jenny He obviously cares for you and I think you care for him as well. You say you trust him. Let yourself be happy for god's sake. You deserve someone who understands you and loves you. He sounds like he's someone you could let Nicholas get to know. I know that's a concern for you but hey, he's a federal agent for heaven's sake. You already love him don't you?"

Jen just laughed and said, "Yeah I do. I've tried not to but I just can't help it."

"Why are you trying not to love him?"

"Because I'm afraid I'll screw it up and then he and I will both get hurt and maybe Nicholas too."

"Listen to me Jenny. You're too hard on yourself. Yes, you've had some rather questionable "boyfriends" to use the term loosely. But you didn't screw those relationships up. You woke up and realized they weren't good enough for you. I'd say that's the smart thing to do. It sounds to me like you've finally met a really good guy that you can depend on. As far as Nicholas is concerned, Gibbs sounds like a man I wouldn't be opposed to having Nicholas meet. Give yourself some credit Jenny you are actually a very good judge of people. After all you're still friends with me aren't you?"

The talk with Stephen helped Jen sort out her feelings. She still had reservations about going ahead with her relationship with Jethro but she was edging closer and closer to being willing to take that chance. The next morning everyone went to church and then opened presents. By the time they finished and had something to eat it was almost noon. Jen slipped away to her bedroom to call Jethro.

The Gibbs men were just coming in the house from a long walk when the phone began ringing. "Hello", Jackson answered the phone and gave Jethro a wink and a smile.

"No this is his father. Ms. Shepard?" Jackson was now grinning wickedly at his son and having to work pretty hard to keep the phone from him.

"Yes, he's right here, trying his best to wrestle this phone away from me as a matter of fact. Well, Merry Christmas to you too, Ms. Shepard." Jackson finally gave in and handed the phone to Jethro.

"Hi, Merry Christmas Jen."

"Merry Christmas Jethro. Your dad sounds like fun. How is your day going?"

"He's a real riot alright. My day is considerably better now that I can hear your voice. How about yours?"

"I'm having a very good day as well. Nicholas did very well in the present department and right now he's busy downstairs with his dad playing some new video game. Stephen's parents have gone out for a walk and I'm upstairs giving some serious thought to taking nap."

"It sounds like you've had a successful Christmas. I miss you."

"I know, I miss you too. When are you coming back?"

"Probably New Year's day. I don't want my dad driving on New Year's eve. I can't wait to see you. Will you be at home on New Years?"

"Yes, I'll be here. Nicholas is going to Boston with his dad for a few days."

"So, you'll be home alone, huh?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll definitely be home by then. That is if you think you might let me come over and see you."

"I think you can count on that."

"I look forward to it. I'll see you in a week I love you." Jethro hung up before Jen could protest his proclamation.

"Bye. I love you too" Jen's response was really only to herself because she knew Jethro had already disconnected them.

Jethro thought something was a little off in his conversation with Jen. He felt like she had something she wanted to say but she didn't say it. Maybe he was being too hopeful. He desperately wanted her to say she loved him or at least that she wanted to give them a chance. But she didn't say anything close to that. Was he kidding himself that she wanted it and just needed some time? Maybe she was just going along because she didn't know how to tell him no. 'That's not it' he told himself. 'Just be patient, don't give up on her yet.'

When he hung up Jethro knew the coming week would be the longest of his life. He wanted to go home NOW. But…Jen still had company so there wasn't much point in him being there. What he wanted to do with and to Jen he didn't want to do with anyone else in the house. He had a plan and it didn't include anyone but himself and Ms. Jennifer Shepard.

Each of Gibbs' team members called him during the day including Abby and Ducky. When Tony called he asked Gibbs if there was anything he needed or anything he wanted him to do. Jethro thought for a minute before deciding to ask his senior agent for a favor.

"Tony what are you doing New Year's eve day?"

"Nothing special, Boss. Going to Abby's party that night but nothing until then. You need me to do something?"

"Would you mind coming up here and getting me? I don't want my dad driving with all the crazies out and I need to be back in DC that day."

"Hot date, Boss? Never mind. Sure I can come up there and get you. I'd like to see your dad anyway. Just name the time."

"Make it easy on yourself. I just want to be back by five or six. Okay?"

"Sure thing Boss. I'll be there about 11:00; that should give us plenty of time to get you back here for your…whatever you have planned. Merry Christmas Boss."

Jethro didn't call Jen the next day or the day after that and she didn't call him. His reason was that he was too keyed up about seeing her in a few days and he didn't have anything to say really. He was about through talking. Jethro had never been a man of many words. He preferred to let his actions speak for him. He'd had more conversation with Jen than he'd had with any other woman in years. Even with Kate he never talked this much. Basically, Jethro just wanted to see Jen, to put his hands on her, kiss her and seduce her until she accepted that they belonged together. He didn't know how any of that could be accomplished over the phone so he just decided not to call.

Jen wasn't calling because she too, wanted to see Jethro to tell him how she felt. She didn't want the first time she declared her love for him to be over the phone. She had decided after her talk with Stephen that she was ready to give Jethro her answer. Being away from him for almost three weeks had shown her that she cared for him more than she thought and she wanted to be with him. She wanted to show him how she felt and obviously that couldn't be done over the phone. If she hadn't had so much company she would have driven to Pennsylvania and told him in person. But she decided, New Years Day would be the day.

On the 30th, Jen gave in and called. She was determined not to let her feelings out but she needed to hear Jethro's voice. Stephen had taken Nicholas home with him and his parents were gone back to Tampa. She was all alone in the house and missing Jethro terribly.

"Hi, I just wanted to call and see how you're doing and if you're still coming back on the first."

"I'm glad you called. I'm doing good. Is all your company gone?"

"Yes and it's so quiet. How's your dad?"

"He's fine. Are you sure you're okay, you sound kinda, I don't know, is everything okay?"

"Everything's okay. I think maybe I caught a bit of a cold but I'm fine really. So, you'll be home in a couple of days. I imagine you're anxious to be back in your own house. It's been quite a while hasn't it?"

"Yeah, I am anxious to get home. Okay if I come see you when I get back?"

"You better. I'd hate to have to come looking for you."

"You won't have to, I promise. I'll see you soon. Bye Jen."

"Bye Jethro."

Now he knew something was off. She didn't have a cold. She wasn't a very good liar that's for sure. Had she been crying? Geez, what the hell was going on? Jethro had to admit to himself that even though he was sure Jen was holding something back or not being completely honest with him he didn't know her well enough to be able to figure it out. He told himself it didn't matter. He was going to convince her they belonged together no matter what.

Jen hung up and fell back on the bed. She couldn't call anymore because it was too hard to not say what she wanted to say. She was pretty sure Jethro didn't by the whole 'I've got a cold' thing which was so lame she couldn't believe she'd even said it. It was so damn hard not to just scream 'I love you' to him. Not calling anymore became her new survival plan.

The last day of the year dawned clear and cold with no weather issues that would interfere with their driving. Jethro and his dad had breakfast and were having their second cup of coffee when Jackson spoke up.

"You got yourself a plan for when you see your lady this evening?"

"Sort of."

"Sort of? Dammit son, you'd better have something better than that in mind. From what you've told me she's a pretty special woman. You can't just go in there blind and expect to sweep her off her feet."

"Hey, I can be pretty charming when I want to be at least that's what Ducky says. Anyway, I'm taking flowers and she's not expecting me so I'll have surprise on my side."

"Flowers are a good idea. I suggest roses, six red and six yellow if you can find them. And yes, I know you can be charming. You'll do fine."

DiNozzo drove up as they finished their coffee. Tony had a brief visit with Jackson while Jethro put his bags in the car. Then Jethro hugged his dad goodbye. "Thanks for everything dad. I'm glad I could come stay and get back in shape. I love you."

"You're welcome son. I'm just glad I could help. I love you and good luck tonight."

The drive back to DC was mostly quiet. Tony filled Jethro in on their latest cases and updated him on all the NCIS news. Of course he was dying to ask Gibbs why he needed to be back in DC tonight but he refrained, almost.

"So, Boss, you still seeing the lady who got run over?"

"Her name is Jennifer Shepard and yes, I'm still seeing her."

"She why we're on our way back to the city in such a rush?"

Jethro looked over at DiNozzo who had his eyes fixed on the highway. He thought about head slapping him but then he remembered who held his hand in the ambulance and who was there in the waiting room and the ICU from the first minute until he woke up the first time. Tony was absolutely loyal to him and Jethro knew he could trust him.

"Yeah, she's the reason I wanted to come back today. She thinks I'm coming home tomorrow but I wanted to surprise her."

"She seems very nice. Sure is pretty and Ducky says she's tough too. Sounds like a match made in heaven, Boss."

"Let's hope so, DiNozzo. Let's hope so."

Three hours later Tony dropped Jethro off at his home. "You need anything else, Boss?"

"No, thanks Tony. I appreciate the ride. I'll see you at work next week. You be careful tonight. Happy New Year."

"Same to you Boss. And, hey, good luck tonight."

Jethro stepped into his house for the first time in almost a month and was happy to be there. He took a quick shower and put on some black slacks and a white dress shirt. He grabbed a coat from the hall closet and left the house just thirty minutes after he arrived. Luck was with him as he found a florist still open. He bought the flowers; six red and six yellow roses as his dad had suggested, and drove toward Jen's townhouse in Georgetown. When he was a block away he pulled out his cell and called her praying she was at home and that she didn't notice he wasn't calling from his dad's house.

Jen was just stepping out of the shower after her run when the phone rang. She wrapped a towel around herself and picked up the receiver.

"Hello."

"Hi, it's Jethro. I wanted to call and say Happy New Year a little early in case you were going out." He figured he better find out if she was going to be home and this was his method.

"Well, hello. I'm so happy to hear your voice. I'm not going out, in fact I just came back from a run and was stepping out of the shower when you called. Perfect timing. How are you?"

Luckily Jethro had pulled over when Jen answered because the thought of her just out of the shower, in a towel or less, had his imagination in overdrive. "I'm good. I've missed talking to you the last couple of days. I'm really anxious to see you Jen." Jethro had resumed driving and was in fact about to pull into her driveway.

"I know. I miss you too. I haven't called because it feels like we've run out of things to say. I just really need to see you Jethro. We need to talk face to face."

That scared him but he put his fears out of his head as he reached for the flowers and opened the car door.

"I agree. I need to put my arms around you, Jen. I wish I could do that right now."

"Oh me too, Jethro. I'd like nothing better right now."

"Then I suggest you open your front door."

"What?"

"Open your front door Jen."

Jen threw on her robe and flew down the stairs to the front door. She undid the lock and opened the door to find Jethro grinning from ear to ear and holding a dozen beautiful roses.

"Happy New Year, Jen."

"Oh my god, Jethro. Come in this house."

Jethro stepped in the house and set the flowers down on the entryway table. As soon as his hands were free he pulled Jen into a fierce hug and began kissing her. His hands tangled in her still damp hair as he backed her up against the wall. His tongue was seeking entry into her mouth which he was quickly granted. He felt Jen's hands grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer. When he finally had to breathe he broke off the kiss and began nipping and kissing his way from her mouth to her throat and across her clavicle. Jen was making quiet moaning sounds and her hands were in his hair. Jethro finally pulled himself together and took a very small step back.

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Well you certainly did that. I'm so damned glad to see you Jethro." Jen grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him to her for another kiss. This time she took control and when she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth he responded and deepened the kiss. When the oxygen between them had been depleted they both pulled back and Jen rested her forehead on his chest.

Jethro finally took the time to look at her and realized she was wearing a bathrobe and probably nothing else. As tempting as that realization was, he stopped himself and stepped back.

"Before we go any further, we need to talk Jen."

"Yes, we do. Why don't you come in and make yourself comfortable. I'll put the flowers in a vase; they are beautiful by the way. Thank you very much. Go in and sit down. I'll be right there." Jen directed Jethro to the living area and he sat down on the couch. He took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. He was determined to say what he needed to say before he did anything else.

In the kitchen, Jen took several deep breaths and tried to slow her heart rate. Seeing Jethro standing on her porch had been the most wonderful surprise she could imagine. Kissing him had been the next most wonderful thing to happen. But…. she needed to get control of her emotions and gather her thoughts so she could say what she needed to say. She got the flowers arranged and took them into the living room. Putting them on a side table Jen took a seat at the end of the couch and turned to face Jethro.

They just looked at each other for a few moments before Jethro spoke up. "If you don't mind I'd like to go first."

"That's fine. Go ahead but I do want to say that having you here is the best surprise I've ever had."

"I'm glad. I wasn't sure if you'd be home and I'm sure glad you are. Okay, here goes. You know how I feel about you Jen. I can't explain it but I think I've been falling in love with you since the first time I saw you. I'm not much of a talker but I seem to be able to talk to you very easily. I prefer to let my actions speak for me and later, if you let me, I'd be happy to demonstrate that. But for now, I want to tell you that I know you care for me and I know we can make a relationship between us work. I know you have your doubts and I respect that. If you can look me in the eyes right now and tell me you don't love me I will walk out that door and not bother you again until you say it's alright. I can't promise to wait forever but if you need more time I'll give it to you. The thing is Jen, I can't stand to be away from you much longer. I think about you, hell I dream about you all the time. I want you. In every way. I can't say it any plainer than that. I love you and I want you."

Jethro never took his eyes off her while he was talking. He knew he was practically rambling but he figured if he didn't get all out at once he'd never say everything he wanted to say. His heart was pounding by the time he finished what was probably the longest speech he'd ever given; certainly the longest he'd ever given a woman. He wanted to reach out and touch her but he was afraid if he did and she said she didn't love him that he wouldn't be able to leave like he said he would. So, he sat there on the couch, barely a foot away from her and waited for her to respond.

Jen had thought of stopping him when he said he'd leave if she said she didn't love him but she had the idea he needed to say everything at once so she let him go on. Of course she knew when he started what she was going to say. Still, it made her feel good to hear him say all those lovely things to her. He was looking at her so intently she was finding it difficult to return his gaze.

Finally she scooted closer to him and took his hand in hers. She looked him right in the eyes and said, "I love you Jethro." That was all. She stopped and watched his eyes go wide and then darken. His mouth opened but no sound came out. She had surprised him.

Very quietly, so quietly she almost didn't hear him he said, "could you repeat that?"

She leaned closer. He could feel her breath on his face. She framed his face with her hands and said, "I love you Jethro." Then she kissed him. Slow and sweet at first and then, frantic and heated. She pressed into him and let him know that what he'd heard was the truth. Then she sat back and enjoyed the parade of emotions racing across his handsome face. "I think maybe I surprised you. Doesn't happen very often I imagine." Jen kissed him lightly on the mouth and laughed that happy laugh Jethro liked so much.

"Yeah, you surprised me alright. Probably the best surprise I could have asked for. Was it the flowers or the speech that did it? 'Cos if it was the flowers I have to give credit for that to my dad. The speech was all me."

"Actually it was just being away from you for so long and a talk I had with Stephen after you called on Christmas Eve. The flowers and the speech just sealed the deal." Jen couldn't take her eyes off him. She also couldn't stop smiling. She felt like a wonderful new life was about to unfold for her. Jen reached for his hands and entwined her fingers with his. "I love you, Jethro and I want to be with you in every way possible."

"I don't know what to say. I'm just blown away Jen and so happy I can't even think straight right now."

Jen leaned into him and whispered in his ear, "I believe you said something about a demonstration." She sat back and looked him dead in the face with something very close to his infamous smirk on her face.

"Yes, I did didn't I?" With that he pushed her back onto the couch and holding himself above her he kissed her with unbridled passion. One hand snuck down and untied the sash holding her robe closed giving him access to the softness he had been dreaming about for weeks. Jethro pulled back from the kiss and tenderly began touching and caressing Jen from her mouth to her navel. Jen was astonished by the gentle almost reverent way he was touching her. She could see by the look on his face that he wanted to please her at the same time he was pleasing himself. When he returned to her mouth he gave her a slow, deep kiss then he sat up and pulled her up with him.

"I want to make love to you Jen but not here."

Jen stood up and took his hand and led him to the bedroom. When they entered the bedroom, Jen turned to him and began undressing him. When he started to help she stilled his hands. "Let me do it. I want to touch you." Jethro dropped his hands to his sides and let her do it her way. She began unbuttoning his shirt very slowly and deliberately. As she did so she walked them toward the bed. When she had three buttons undone she leaned in and placed a kiss on his chest. Then she proceeded to finish the shirt and Jethro pulled it off. Jen's hands were on his chest and back and her nails were scraping little designs on his skin as he pulled her in and kissed her. His hands managed to find the tie to her robe and untie it again, opening the robe completely. Before he could exploit that wonderful accomplishment Jen began unbuttoning his trousers and pushing them down to the floor.

Jethro toed off his shoes and stepped out of his slacks. Jen stepped back a step and let the robe slide off her shoulders and fall to the floor. Finally, he could stop dreaming and fantasizing; she was standing in front of him, naked and wanting him. Jethro reached out and touched her tenderly. "You are so beautiful, Jen. I have been thinking about this moment for a long time."

"Touch me Jethro. I want to feel your hands all over me."

And that is exactly what he did. He explored every delicate inch of her. His fingers were like little torches on her skin. From her shoulders he traced a line across her chest barely skirting the swell of her breasts. He caressed up and down her arms and then let his hands skitter across her breasts and down to her firm stomach. Her breathing was beginning to go all haywire but she never took her eyes off of him. Jethro ran one hand around the back of her neck and pulled her into a heated kiss while his other hand gently sought out her hot, wet center. Her moan of pleasure was lost in his kiss. Both her hands were on his ass pulling him as close as she could to maximize their body contact. . Jen raised one leg and smoothed her foot up the back of his calf. Jethro's mouth left hers to trail kisses down the column of her throat to her breasts. His tongue swirled around a nipple and then he suckled at first one breast and then another. Jen's nails scraped up his back and into his hair holding his head in place. He was driving her crazy with his mouth and his hands; she could only imagine what would happen to her when they finally made it onto the bed.

As if he read her mind Jethro sat down on the bed and pulled her to stand between his legs. He continued his worship of her breasts with his mouth as his hands moved up and down her sides occasionally straying to the spot where Jen really wanted his attention. She put one foot on the bed and taking one of his hands in hers she moved his to cup her swollen, wet lips. He took the not so subtle hint and began massaging her with his palm bringing more moans of pleasure from her.

"Baby you are so beautiful. I've been dreaming about doing this with you for weeks."

"Jethro, I need to touch you. And I want you inside me."

Jethro stood up and pushed off his boxers freeing his erection. She took him in hand and gently stroked him before pushing him back onto the bed and straddling him. She began her exploration with a slow deep kiss while her body was in complete contact with Jethro's. Then she slowly made her way down his body, kissing and licking him while he tried to control the urge to flip them over and take her right then. Jen looked up at him and saw the darkening of his eyes and noted his very erratic breathing and she knew they were very close to the edge. She sat up then and taking him firmly in hand she slid down on him, taking him greedily into her center. Jethro's groan of pleasure and the smile on his face almost made her laugh with pure happiness.

Their rhythm suggested they had been lovers for years instead of less than an hour. Each of them seemed to sense what the other needed and wanted without having to speak. Jen rode him slowly at first waiting for him to pick up the pace. When he felt she was nearing her climax Jethro carefully rolled them over and took control. He watched as her eyes grew a darker shade of green and her cheeks flushed with the heat of their coupling. When she wrapped her legs around his waist he felt her tighten around him.

"Jen, let go baby, come for me."

"Oh god, Jethro, harder, please."

He thrust into her twice more completely filling her and she soared over the edge calling his name. Wanting Jethro to reach his climax as well she arched up to him and continued to move with him.

"Fill me up Jethro. I want all of you."

Hearing her request Jethro closed his eyes and let himself go spilling into her just as she asked. He opened his eyes and found her smiling at him her eyes alight with desire and satisfaction. Not wanting to spoil the moment with words, he leaned down and gave her a kiss intended to convey at least some of what he was feeling. Slowly he pulled out of her and Jen curled into his side with her head resting on his chest.

As they lay all sweaty and tangled together neither of them spoke for a long time. Jen laid her head on his chest gently stroking his newly healed scars. Jethro ran his hand up and down her back. When he finally spoke it wasn't what Jen expected to hear.

"Do you still have the name of that guy who ran into you?"

"I think so, why?"

"I want to send him a thank you card."

END


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